Washington – Rep. Brandon Williams has hired a new top aide to run his congressional office on Capitol Hill – the third person to hold the position in a little more than a year.
Joe Guy, 30, a Syracuse native, stepped down from his post this week as chief of staff to Williams.
The congressman promoted Taylor Weyeneth, his communications director and deputy chief of staff, to take over for Guy.
The moves are the latest staff changes for Williams, whose staff turnover rate ranked third among 435 House members as of October, according to LegiStorm, a nonpartisan group that tracks staff moves in Congress.
Williams, a first-term Republican, has lost key staff at a rate that is about triple the average for a House member this year, LegiStorm found.
Williams lost six of his original 13 staffers who were either fired or quit during his first year in office.
The departure list included his most senior aides – a chief of staff, two legislative directors, a communications director and operations director.
In a statement Thursday, Williams suggested that the parting with Guy was amicable.
“Joe helped to build a strong team and operation that has delivered significant results for Central New York,” Williams said. “I remain close friends with Joe and am thankful for his continued support.”
Williams’ office also released a statement from Guy.
“I will always be very grateful for my time with Rep. Williams and look forward to helping get him and other Republicans elected in November,” Guy said.
Guy did not respond to a message from syracuse.com asking if he left to accept a campaign-related position elsewhere.
Guy is the son of former Syracuse Common Councilor Rick Guy, who hosted or co-hosted two fundraisers for Williams in 2022.
Both Rick and Joe Guy worked in former President Donald Trump’s administration.
Joe Guy later worked for former Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-N.C., as a legislative assistant and then special projects director from January 2021 until March 2022.
Guy…
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