The successor to former Sen. Bob Menendez is scheduled to be sworn in as a senator on Monday.
The Senate will swear in George Helmy, a former chief of staff to New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, to serve out the remainder of Menendez's term, which expires on Jan. 3. The ceremony is scheduled to take place around 5 p.m. ET.
In the absence of Vice President Kamala Harris, the Senate president and Democratic presidential nominee, Helmy will be sworn in by Senate President Pro Tem Patty Murray (D-Wash.).
Menendez resigned from his post on August 20 after being convicted of accepting bribes for corrupt activities, including acting as an agent for the Egyptian government.
NJ Governor Murphy to appoint former chief of staff George Helmy to fill vacant Menendez Senator seat: Report
Sen. Bob Menendez arrives at the Manhattan federal courthouse on Oct. 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)
Helmy won't last long, as the seat was already up for election on November 5. U.S. Congressman Andy Kimis in a strong position in a Democratic-leaning state. He's facing off against Republican Curtis Bashaw. During the trial in July, Menendez filed to run for reelection as an independent.
Helmy served as Murphy's Chief of Staff for more than four years and most recently served as Executive Director and Director of External Relations for RWJBarnabas Health. He also previously served as State Affairs Director for Senator Cory Booker (DN.J) and will serve at Booker's side in the Senate for the remainder of the 118th Congress.
Murphy could have given Kim an edge by appointing her to the vacant seat. Kim ran in the Democratic Senate primary against Gov. Tammy Murphy, the New Jersey first lady who withdrew from the race in late March.
Last week, a New Jersey real estate developer who was convicted along with Menendez this summer pleaded guilty to a separate bank fraud charge.
Fred Dibes, 67, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Newark to making false statements in connection with a 2008 loan, the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a statement Thursday.
Senator Bob Menendez speaks to media as he leaves the federal courthouse in Manhattan, New York City, July 16, 2024. (Adam Gray/Getty Images)
Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez guilty on all charges in federal corruption trial
Prosecutors said that while he was chairman and CEO of Mariners Bank, Dives falsely represented someone else as the borrower on a $1.8 million loan when in fact the line of credit was made to himself.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
Dives, Menendez and a third businessman, Wael Hanna, were convicted of bribery in July. Prosecutors said the three-term senator accepted cash, gold bars and cars in exchange for cooperating with them. Another businessman, Jose Uribe, pleaded guilty, but lawyers for Menendez, Hanna and Dives plan to appeal.
Fred Dibes appeared in federal court in New York on July 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
The senator's wife, Nadine Menendez, has also been charged and has pleaded not guilty, but a trial has yet to take place.
Click here to get the FOX News app
The senator maintained his innocence after the July 16 verdict, and in a July 23 letter to Murphy announcing his resignation, Menendez said: He promised to appeal. “All the way up to the Supreme Court.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
