New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced Friday that he’s appointing his former chief of staff George Helmy to temporarily replace Sen. Bob Menendez when the disgraced Democratic senator resigns next week following his conviction on corruption charges.
Helmy served as Murphy’s chief of staff from 2019 to 2023. Since leaving th e post last year, he has been working for a major health care company in New Jersey.
“George is the ideal leader to take on this role,” Murphy said at the morning announcement in Newark, adding that Helmy is very familiar with the inner workings of the Senate after being a staffer for current and former Democratic New Jersey senators.
Before he worked in the governor’s office, Helmy spent several years working for Sen. Cory Booker in various roles, including state director. Helmy also spent time in the private sector and was an aide to the late Sen. Frank Lautenberg, according to the governor’s office.
“George understands on a very fundamental level how a U.S. Senate office operates, and he will be ready to run this office from moment one, and he will bring to this office firsthand expertise in providing the best possible constituent service” to families, Murphy said. “That expertise will be especially relevant over the next few months as the presidential election rapidly approaches and as the Senate will be in recess as a result for much of the fall.”
Murphy’s office said Helmy is scheduled to be sworn in on Sept. 9 when the Senate reconvenes from its summer recess.
“Our residents deserve a functioning Senate office upon which they can call for help,” Helmy said Friday. “Our nonprofits and local governments deserve an office that will fight for them for their grants and support them in navigating the arcane maze of federal agencies, and, yes, New Jersey deserves its full voice and representation on the floor of the United States Senate. Relying on my familiarity with the Senate and my deep knowledge of the issues facing this state, I will stand as our second crucial voice in the Democratic caucus, under Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on the important items that will come before us over the next months.”
Helmy will only hold the office temporarily; New Jersey voters will elect their next senator in this November’s general election to a six-year term. Democratic Rep. Andy Kim and Republican Curtis Bashaw are set to face off in the general election this fall for the seat.
On Friday, Kim praised Helmy and said he “knows how to navigate the Senate and can step in immediately to keep delivering services for our state. That’s incredibly important experience with so many challenging issues facing our state and our nation. I look forward to working with him in the Capitol.”
Menendez formally informed Murphy of his decision to resign in a letter last month after he was found guilty on all 16 counts, which included bribery, extortion, honest services wire fraud, acting as a foreign agent of Egypt, obstruction of justice and several counts of conspiracy. He is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 29.
Murphy said Friday that it was a “tragic ending to a long and largely productive career in public service.”
“Senator Menendez accomplished many things on behalf of our state and our residents,” he said, “But sadly, he will be remembered for putting his own interests ahead of the public interest.”
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