NJ Gov. Phil Murphy eyes his ex-chief of staff to replace convicted Sen. Bob Menendez
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is strongly considering appointing his former chief of staff to replace convicted US Sen. Bob Menendez, The Post has learned.
Ex-chief of staff George Helmy is a Murphy confidante who sources said did the governor’s iron fist work behind the scenes — and he could be headed to Washington when Menendez resigns effective Aug. 20.
Murphy has informed some Democratic Party leaders in the Garden State that he’s eyeing Helmy — now an executive vice president and external affairs and policy officer at RWJBarnabas Health — to fulfill Menendez’s term, which expires at the end of the year.
Helmy and a spokesman for Murphy declined comment — but the governor had high praise last September when it was announced the chief of state was leaving his administration.
“I don’t know where we would be without George,” Murphy said at the time.
“You cannot write the history of our administration without recognizing George’s singular role in leading our team for over four and a half years,” he went on. “His unique mix of public and private sector experience, strong management skills, and deep relationships across the political spectrum made him uniquely capable to excel in this job.”
Murphy praised Helmy as his point man on the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and said he oversaw his policy and legislative agenda in the Legislature.
“George has put his heart and soul into serving the people of New Jersey,” Murphy said.
The governor has the option of filling the federal seat after Democrat Menendez was convicted last month of trading the power of his office for lucrative bribes.
A federal jury found him guilty on 16 counts for using his political perch to benefit Egypt, Qatar and three of his wealthy pals in exchange for piles of cash, gold bars and other gifts.
Helmy is not without controversy despite being widely respected.
Former Garden State Attorney General Gurbir Grewal testified during Menendez’s corruption trial in June that he received several inappropriate inquiries during ongoing criminal cases — including one from Helmy.
Helmy called Grewal in 2020 asking about his prosecution of Hudson County worker Walter Somick, who was accused of falsifying time sheets for a no-show job, Grewal said.
According to the Star-Ledger, Murphy administration sources claimed Helmy made the call because Somick was a friend of state Sen. Nick Sacco (D-Hudson), who was blocking a bill backed by the governor to eliminate mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent offenders.
“It is unclear what Helmy wanted of Grewal, but given the transactional nature of New Jersey politics, it is no longer prudent to give the Murphy Administration the benefit of the doubt: It could have easily asked Grewal to rethink the Somick prosecution to get Sacco to support the legislation,” a Star-Ledger editorial said.
Sacco had reportedly demanded that public officials — like Somick — be included among offenders who should be exempt from mandatory jail sentences.
“Is that Too Jersey? Nothing is Too Jersey,” the editorial said.
Murphy ultimately vetoed the bill that included Sacco’s amendment, while Somick got probation after taking a plea.
What we know about Bob Menendez’s case
New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez was found guilty of federal corruption charges related to an alleged years-long scheme.
Menendez accepted bribes, including gold bars, in exchange for helping three businessmen, Wael Hana, Jose Uribe and Fred Daibes, as well as Egypt and Qatar, according to a federal jury.
Menendez and his wife, Nadine, were charged with taking hundreds of thousands in bribes, according to the Manhattan federal indictment. Their cases were separated, and hers has been indefinitely delayed because she is being treated for breast cancer.
When the feds raided the Menendezes’ Englewood Cliffs home in June 2022, they found a 2019 Mercedes C-Class, at least 13 gold bars, and $566,000 in cash “stuffed in envelopes.” Another $70,000 in cash was found in Nadine’s safe deposit box.
The feds say Menendez also received mortgage payments and paid for a low-show or no-show job and home furnishings.
This isn’t the first time the Democrat faced federal corruption charges. In 2015, Menendez was accused of taking gifts from Florida eye surgeon Salomon Melgen.
The “gifts” included a Paris vacation, flights on a private jet, and vacations at Melgen’s villa in the Dominican Republic.
That case ended in a mistrial.
Meanwhile, former state Health Department Assistant Commissioner Chris Neuwirth claimed he was fired because he raised ethics concerns when asked to administer COVID-19 tests to relatives of Helmy in 2020.
He filed a defamation suit claiming Murphy made false statements about the reason for his firing.
A state appellate court last year tossed out the defamation charges.
Helmy, if chosen, would have a short run as Menendez’s replacement.
Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ) is the Democratic nominee for the Senate seat this November and is set to face off against real estate developer Curtis Bashaw, the Republican nominee.
