New Jersey’s Revolving Door of Senate Shenanigans

Ah, New Jersey—where the Garden State's political elite has a curious penchant for scandal. As if we didn’t have enough fun with the "first" Menendez indictment a few years ago, here comes Bob Menendez Part Deux, and with it, yet another round of New Jersey’s political opera. Enter George Helmy, the latest actor in this ongoing production, sworn in to warm Menendez’s Senate seat for a couple of months before he, too, makes his exit. 

Let’s start with Helmy, an Egyptian-American Democrat and former chief of staff to Governor Phil Murphy. Murphy must’ve pored over his Rolodex to find someone not actively seeking office (which Helmy made sure to point out), who also happened to have the necessary chops from rubbing elbows with former Senator Frank Lautenberg and current golden boy Cory Booker. You know, the guy who cries tears of justice from the Senate floor, but somehow misses the corruption sprouting like weeds in his own backyard. Booker, who stood at Helmy’s side during his swearing-in, must be relieved—"finally", someone on Team New Jersey who isn’t running around with stacks of gold bars hidden in their house.

Speaking of gold bars, let’s take a stroll down Menendez memory lane. The guy didn’t just take a bribe or two; no, he went for the "luxury" package. He allegedly brokered a deal involving a multimillion-dollar deal with Qatar (because why not?), helped some guy keep his meat certification contract with Egypt (because someone has to ensure halal meat standards, right?), and stuffed his home with enough cash and gold to make a bank vault blush. And still, Menendez is denying everything. He plans to appeal, of course, because why not double down when the feds find half a million in your mattress?

So, as Helmy sits temporarily in Menendez’s golden—er, vacated—chair, we have to ask, what’s in it for New Jersey? A seat-warmer with no political aspirations is the best we could do? Murphy’s glowing endorsement aside, it seems that Helmy’s true legacy may be how efficiently he moves in and out of this role without leaving a trace.

Then, we come to the real showdown: Rep. Andy Kim, a Democrat, versus Curtis Bashaw, a Republican hotelier. One promises the steady hand of liberal governance, and the other? Well, Bashaw might be praying that “hotelier” doesn’t become the latest euphemism for scandal-bound politician in New Jersey. These two will fight for the seat in November, and whoever wins will get to take on the monumental task of scrubbing Menendez’s name from every corner of the office.

But for now, Helmy will enjoy a brief tenure as New Jersey’s senior placeholder. His swearing-in even made history, as he became the first member of the Coptic Orthodox Church to serve in the Senate. At least there’s some dignity in that. And yet, while Helmy may have temporarily raised the standard, you have to wonder if anyone in New Jersey politics can keep it there.

In a state where corruption seems to be a feature, not a bug, we could use a little more stability and a lot less scandal. But this is New Jersey, after all. The only certainty is that, when it comes to politics, the revolving door will keep on spinning.