New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy appointed his former chief of staff, George Helmy, to serve as an interim senator following the resignation of convicted U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez until the November election.
Helmy will resign after the November election results are certified, and the winner of the election will be appointed to the Senate position.
The big picture: Democratic Rep. Andy Kim and Republican Curtis Bashaw are the primary contenders in the November election for the Senate seat.
- Murphy’s decision to appoint Helmy over Kim was to facilitate a smoother transition into the Senate role and ensure efficient representation for New Jersey residents.
- Helmy is an executive at RWJBarnabas Health and former aide to Senators Cory Booker and Frank Lautenberg
Driving the news: Menendez, the outgoing Senator, was convicted of leveraging his political influence to interfere in criminal investigations and benefit businessmen in return for bribes.
- Menendez was found guilty of aiding bribe-paying friends secure financial deals and taking actions that favored foreign governments in exchange for illicit gains.
- Menendez denied the allegations post-conviction, asserting his loyalty and patriotism to the United States.
What they’re saying: “I expressed to them that this approach will allow the democratically chosen winner of this year’s election to embark on the smallest possible transition into office so they can provide the best possible representation for the people of New Jersey,” Murphy told reporters.
