George Helmy, a former chief of staff to Governor Phil Murphy, will take office as a New Jersey senator next month after Robert Menendez’s resignation.
Menendez quietly resigned on Tuesday, making no official statements on his now defunct website or social media accounts. He was first elected in 2006.
The former senator was convicted on 16 counts last month in a federal corruption trial. He was accused of using his power and influence to illegally obtain lavish gifts from New Jersey businessmen.
The verdict came after three days of deliberations, marking the end of a nine-week trial.
Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) arrives at Manhattan Federal Court on July 10, 2024 in New York City. Menendez’s legal team filed a motion to overturn the former lawmaker’s convictions.
Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
Menendez’s legal team filed a motion to overturn the convictions and a motion for a new trial on Monday. The 52-page document alleges that prosecutors did not introduce “sufficient evidence” to prove each of the charges. Defense attorney Adam Fee also claimed prosecutors “walked all over” some legal immunities and protections granted to lawmakers.
“These convictions will make terrible, dangerous law,” Fee said. “All of Senator Menendez’s convictions must be reversed.”
Newsweek reached out to Menendez for comment.
Career in the Senate
Menendez was appointed to the Senate in January of 2006 after the seat was vacated by Jon Corzine, who was elected to be governor of New Jersey. He was elected to a full six-year term in November of that year, then re-elected in 2012 and 2018.
He was the sixth Latino to serve in the Senate.
Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) speaks during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on April 26, 2022 in Washington, DC. Menendez stepped down as chair of the committee…
Photo by Al Drago-Pool/Getty Images
Menendez served on the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, the Senate Committee on Finance and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. He was chair of the foreign relations committee, but stepped down after the federal corruption charges were filed.
Helmy will fill Menendez’s seat starting September 9, Murphy announced on Friday in a press release. He will serve until the certification of the upcoming general election on November 27.
Helmy, 43, was born in Jersey City and attended Glen Ridge High School. He then went on to attend Rutgers University for undergraduate school and Harvard University for graduate school.
George Helmy will fill the seat vacated by Robert Menendez following his resignation. Helmy will be sworn in on September 9.
Governor Phil Murphy and Photo by Adam Gray/Getty Images
He worked for UPS as a business operations manager from 2001 to 2013.
Helmy also served as an aide and caseworker for Senator Frank Lautenberg from 2012 to 2013.