I will not be responsible for the loss of the Democratic majority in the United States Senate.

Torricelli had previously denied this and a number of other charges and in his withdrawal speech stated that despite his leaving public office in a different way than he planned he was proud of his service. Senator from 1997 to 2003. Late in an increasingly competitive race against Republican Doug Forrester in 2002 Torricelli suddenly withdrew after disclosure of illegal contributions to his campaign by David Chang a businessman connected to North Korea.

He served a single term in the Senate and decided not to run for reelection after a campaign finance scandal involving contributions by David Chang an imprisoned Korean businessman. Robert Guy Torricelli (born August 27 1951) nicknamed "the Torch" is an American politician from the U. Senate.