U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, on Wednesday informed a federal judge that he will not take the witness stand in his bribery and extortion trial in the Southern District of New York.

Menendez told U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein of the Southern District of New York that he discussed the issue “at length” with his attorneys, Paul Hastings partners Adam Fee and Avi Weitzman, before making his decision.