On September 9th, Democratic Senator George Helmy was sworn into office in New Jersey, replacing former Senator Bob Menendez who resigned due to corruption charges. Helmy previously served as Chief of Staff to Governor Phil Murphy and will hold the position of Senator until the winner of the November election is certified.
In a statement on the social media platform X, Helmy expressed his humility in becoming New Jersey’s junior Senator and pledged to serve the state, ensuring that their work benefits the people they serve.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer welcomed Helmy to the Senate, noting that he is the first member of the Coptic Orthodox Church to hold this position. Schumer expressed gratitude to Helmy for answering the call to serve and stated their readiness to provide necessary assistance in the coming weeks and months.
Governor Murphy chose Helmy as Menendez’s temporary replacement on August 16th, believing that Helmy fundamentally understands the responsibilities of the role, with experience that may surpass anyone in the state of New Jersey. Helmy worked for five years under Murphy, becoming the longest-serving Chief of Staff in New Jersey’s history.
Prior to joining Murphy’s administration, Helmy worked as an aide to senior Senator Cory Booker and the late Senator Frank Lautenberg. Currently, he is an executive at RWJ Barnabas Health, New Jersey’s largest healthcare system.
Helmy’s term in the Senate will be short-lived as the six-year term will expire in early 2025. In a federal corruption trial on July 16th, Menendez was convicted of all charges. The FBI found gold bars and over $480,000 in cash during a search of his residence. Prosecutors accused Menendez and his wife Nadine of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from three businessmen from 2018 to 2022, acting as foreign agents for Egypt and Qatar. The bribes included gold bars, a luxury convertible car, payments on a home mortgage, unearned income for little to no work, and household items.
Menendez denies all charges, while his wife has pleaded not guilty. Due to her recovery from breast cancer surgery, her trial has been indefinitely postponed. The former Senator’s case is scheduled for sentencing on October 29th and he faces up to 20 years in prison.
Menendez was previously tried for federal corruption charges in 2015, but the trial ended in a mistrial, and prosecutors decided not to pursue further charges.