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By Rachel Dobkin
Weekend Reporter
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U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, will be replaced by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy's former top aide, according to a report by the Associated Press (AP).
According to a person familiar on the matter who spoke to the AP, Murphy, a Democrat, will name his former chief of staff George Helmy to serve as interim senator when Menendez resigns from office later this month.
Menendez wrote in a letter to Murphy on July 23 that he would be resigning on August 20, following his conviction on federal bribery charges. On July 16, Menendez was found guilty of taking bribes for corrupt acts, including acting as an agent of the Egyptian government.
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Menendez had previously filed to run for reelection as an independent, but he did not comment on whether he would still be mounting a run following his resignation.
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During the nine-week trial, prosecutors said that Menendez "put his power up for sale" by performing political favors in exchange for lavish gifts, such as cash, gold bars, a Mercedes-Benz convertible, furniture and payments on a home mortgage.
Menendez insisted after his guilty verdict that he was innocent, saying, "I have never been anything but a patriot of my country and for my country. I have never, ever been a foreign agent."
He also promised to appeal the case "all the way," including to the Supreme Court, in his letter to Murphy.
With Menendez's resignation, Murphy is able to appoint someone to serve New Jersey on the Senate until Menendez's term ends on January 3, 2025, and according to the AP's source, Helmy is that person. Murphy is expected to announce Menendez's successor on Friday in Newark, according to the AP.
Newsweek reached out to Murphy's office via telephone for comment on Thursday afternoon.
Helmy served as Murphy's chief of staff from 2019 to 2023. He is currently an executive at RWJ Barnabas Health, a large healthcare provider in New Jersey. Helmy also previously served as an aide to U.S. Senator Cory Booker, a New Jersey Democrat.
If Murphy does pick Helmy, it means he passed over Representative Andy Kim, the Democratic nominee for Mendenez's seat in November, which would deny Kim a boost in seniority if he were to win his election. Kim will go up against Republican Curtis Bashaw, a hotel entrepreneur, in the upcoming election.
Many of Menendez's colleagues urged him to resign, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat. Murphy, meanwhile, pressed the Senate to expel Menendez if he didn't resign, something that has only been done 15 times in U.S. Senate history.
Menendez was convicted on a total of 16 charges, including bribery, extortion, honest services fraud, obstruction of justice and conspiracy.
Two co-defendants were also convicted in Menendez's bribery case. New Jersey businessmen Wael Hana and Fred Daibes were accused of paying bribes. Jose Uribe, another businessman from the Garden State, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery, among other charges, prior to trial and testified against the others. Both Hana and Daibes plan to appeal their convictions.
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