George Helmy

Last updated

George Helmy
Senator George Helmy 118th.jpg
United States Senator
from New Jersey
In office
August 23, 2024 –December 8, 2024
SpouseCaroline Helmy
Children2
Education Rutgers University–Newark (BA)
Harvard University (ALM)
George Helmy's voice
George Helmy speaks on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza
Recorded November 18, 2024

George Samir Helmy (born October 27, 1979) [1] [2] is an American politician who served as a United States senator from New Jersey from August to December 2024. A member of the Democratic Party, he was appointed by governor Phil Murphy after Senator Bob Menendez resigned. He served as Murphy's chief of staff from 2019 to 2023. [3] Helmy is the first Coptic American U.S. senator. [4]

Contents

Early life and education

Helmy was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, and grew up in Glen Ridge, New Jersey. [5] He played on the basketball and football teams at Glen Ridge High School. [6] He received a bachelor's degree in psychology from Rutgers University–Newark and a master's degree in finance and management from Harvard University's Extension School. [7] Helmy is Egyptian American. [8] [9]

Career

Helmy worked for UPS as a business operations manager from 2001 to 2013, and as staff assistant and constituent advocate for Senator Frank Lautenberg from 2012 to 2013. [8] He then served as deputy and later state director for Senator Cory Booker before being hired as Governor Phil Murphy's chief of staff in January 2019. [10] He resigned in October 2021 to join Murphy's reelection campaign [11] before returning to the role 18 days later, after the election. [12] Helmy left the governor's office at the end of September 2023 and was succeeded by NJDOT commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti. [13] After departing the governor's office, he served as executive vice president and chief external affairs and policy officer at RWJBarnabas Health and as a commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. [9]

In January 2022, former Department of Health Assistant Commissioner Chris Neuwirth sued Murphy, Helmy, and New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin for firing him over whistleblowing that State Police Superintendent Patrick J. Callahan tried pressuring him into testing Helmy's relatives for COVID-19 in April 2020. At that time, the state Department of Health was experiencing a shortage of COVID-19 tests, so Neuwirth declined the request and reported the incident as an ethics violation. [14]

Helmy was a registered Republican until 2011, when he became an unaffiliated voter. [2] He briefly registered as a Democrat in 2018, to vote in the party's primary that year for U.S. representative in New Jersey's 11th congressional district, [2] but left the party at the end of the year, and remained an independent until March 2024, when he affiliated as a Democrat again. [2]

U.S. Senate

Senate president pro tempore Patty Murray swears in Helmy, as Senator Cory Booker looks on. George Helmy sworn in.png
Senate president pro tempore Patty Murray swears in Helmy, as Senator Cory Booker looks on.

The New Jersey Globe reported on August 13, 2024, that Helmy would be appointed to the United States Senate seat vacated by the resignation of Bob Menendez. Murphy announced Helmy's appointment on August 16. [3] On September 9, he was sworn in by Senate President pro tempore Patty Murray. He was assigned as a caretaker and was not a candidate in the November 2024 election. [9] Murphy announced that Helmy would resign after the 2024 election was certified, to be replaced by the election's winner, to give New Jersey's new senator an advantage in seniority over the other newly elected senators, who take office on January 3, 2025. [15] Andy Kim won that election. Helmy resigned on December 8, 2024, with Kim taking office the next day. [16]

On September 10, 2024, Helmy introduced his first sponsored bill, which would rename facilities at the Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park in honor of Congressman Bill Pascrell, who died in August. [17]

Committee assignments

Personal life

As of 2024, Helmy lives in Mountain Lakes, New Jersey. He and his wife, Caroline, have two children. [2] Helmy is the first Coptic American U.S. senator. [4]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "HELMY, George S. (1979–)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress . September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Tully, Tracey (August 23, 2024). "Menendez's Senate Replacement Has Been a Democrat for Just 5 Months". The New York Times . Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  3. 1 2 Fox, Joey (August 16, 2024). "Statements on George Helmy's appointment to the U.S. Senate". New Jersey Globe . Retrieved August 16, 2024. It is an honor to appoint George Helmy, a proven public servant who deeply understands the complexities of Congress, to the United States Senate.
  4. 1 2 Jalonick, Mary Clare (September 9, 2024). "New Jersey Democrat George Helmy sworn in as replacement for Menendez in the Senate". Associated Press . Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  5. ↑ Snowflack, Fred. "The Irony of Helmy", Insider NJ, August 16, 2024. Accessed August 28, 2024. "Helmy, who was born in Jersey City and who grew up in Glen Ridge, worked for both Senators Frank Lautenberg and Cory Booker. He has been serving as Murphy’s chief of staff."
  6. ↑ Scott, Eric. "Governor Murphy Taps George Helmy As U.S. Senate Replacement", WKXW, August 15, 2024. Accessed August 28, 2024. "The 44-year old Mountain Lakes resident is married with two children. Helmy attended Glen Ridge High School where he played football and basketball."
  7. ↑ https://dailytargum.com/article/2024/09/u-alum-sworn-into-us-senate
  8. 1 2 "George Helmy - Previously held position: New Jersey Office of the Governor (Nov. 2021-Sept. 2023) Philip Dunton Murphy (Phil), Chief of Staff". LegiStorm. Retrieved August 15, 2024.(registration required)
  9. 1 2 3 Wildstein, David (August 15, 2024). "George Helmy will be new U.S. Senator from New Jersey". New Jersey Globe. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Governor Murphy Announces George Helmy as Chief of Staff". State of New Jersey. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  11. ↑ Wildstein, David (October 13, 2021). "Helmy joining Murphy campaign for final stretch, resigning as chief of staff". New Jersey Globe. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  12. ↑ Wildstein, David (November 5, 2021). "Helmy is back as Murphy chief of staff". New Jersey Globe. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  13. ↑ "Governor Murphy Announces Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti As Chief of Staff". NJ.gov. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  14. ↑ Biryukov, Nikita (August 2, 2023). "Judges toss ex-state official's defamation claim against Governor Murphy • New Jersey Monitor". New Jersey Monitor. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  15. ↑ LIVE | NJ Gov. Phil Murphy announces replacement for Sen. Bob Menendez. Eyewitness News ABC7NY. August 16, 2024. Retrieved August 17, 2024– via YouTube.
  16. ↑ Fox, Joey (December 3, 2024). "George Helmy will depart Senate on December 8". New Jersey Globe. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  17. ↑ Hulac, Benjamin (September 16, 2024). "What George Helmy did his first week in Washington". NJ PBS . Retrieved September 19, 2024.
U.S. Senate
Preceded by United States Senator (Class 1) from New Jersey
2024
Served alongside: Cory Booker 		Succeeded by
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byas Former US Senator Order of precedence of the United States Succeeded byas Former US Senator
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