New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy intends to name his former chief of staff George Helmy as convicted US Sen. Bob Menendez’s temporary replacement in the Senate, according to multiple reports.
Helmy, a 44-year-old executive at RWJBarnabas Health, could be announced as Murphy’s pick as soon as Friday, the New Jersey Globe and Politico reported on Wednesday.
His tenure in the Senate will be brief, as Menendez is set to resign his seat in the upper chamber on Aug. 20, and Garden State voters will choose between Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ) and Republican hotelier Curtis Bashaw to fill a full six-year term 11 weeks later.
Helmy served as Murphy’s chief of staff from 2019 until last October. He had previously served as state director and deputy New Jersey chief of staff for Democratic Sen. Cory Booker and as an aide to the late Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ).
Murphy’s office did not respond to The Post’s request for comment.
The Post reported last week that he had been s trongly considering appointing Helmy, a Jersey City native, to the caretaker role.
Menendez was convicted last month on 16 felony counts for using his power and influence to benefit Egypt, Qatar and three of his associates in exchange for cash, gold bars and other gifts.
Helmy’s name came up during the trial when former state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal testified that he had received an inappropriate inquiry from the Murphy aide related to what was at the time an ongoing criminal case.
A week after he was found guilty by a federal jury, Menendez announced that he would resign effective Aug. 20 as he appeals the verdict.
The three-term Democrat is facing up to decades in jail, with sentencing slated for Oct. 29.
Menendez announced in March that he would not pursue re-election as a Democrat amid the corruption scandal, but later launched an independent bid for his seat in the Senate.
Kim, who clinched the Democratic nomination for the seat in June, is the overwhelming favorite to win the New Jersey Senate race in November.
