UPDATE - New Jersey governor names former aide to fill Menendez's Senate seat

ADDS BOB MENENDEZ'S WITHDRAWAL FROM INDEPENDENT SENATE BID

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy on Friday announced that he will appoint his former chief of staff to fill the Senate seat of Bob Menendez, who announced his resignation after being convicted of corruption.

"It is an honor to appoint George Helmy, a proven public servant who deeply understands the complexities of Congress, to the United States Senate," Murphy said in a statement.

Murphy said Helmy, who served as his chief of staff from 2019 to 2023, is "a proven public servant who deeply understands the complexities of Congress, to the United States Senate."

Once the voters of New Jersey elect their next representative in the Senate, and their votes are certified, Murphy said he will appoint the winner of November’s election to the Senate before the new year begins.

Helmy, for his part, thanked Murphy and accepted the appointment with "great humility and even greater determination" to represent New Jerseyans in the Senate.

Helmy is expected to be sworn in on Sept. 9 when the Senate reconvenes from its summer recess.

Menendez announced in July he would resign effective Aug. 20 after a federal jury in New York found him guilty on 16 counts tied to allegations of receiving bribes from foreign nations and acting as an unregistered foreign agent.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer had urged Menendez to step down shortly after the verdict was announced.

Prosecutors had alleged that Menendez, 70, accepted bribes from a trio of New Jersey businessmen that included gold bars, mortgage payments, a luxury car and more than $480,000 in cash. The payments were made in exchange for Menendez carrying out favors that included shielding individuals from prosecution and illicitly using his office to benefit the Egyptian and Qatari governments.

- Menendez withdraws independent Senate bid

Menendez officially withdrew his independent bid to try to hold on to his Senate seat on Friday.

In a letter to the New Jersey Division of Elections, he requested that his name be removed from the ballot in November.

"I am advising you that I wish to have my name withdrawn from the ballot," Menendez wrote to Donna Barber, acting director of the state Division of Elections.