He made sure state troopers get body cameras, cracked down on predatory towing companies and those who prey on senior citizens and corralled members of organized crime. Despite this Acting State Attorney general John Hoffman was never confirmed by the senate and never acquired the full title of his office. Chief Political Correspondent Michael Aron sat down with Hoffman who is the longest serving Acting Attorney General in state history.
Aron: You’ve been acting Attorney General for longer than anyone in history. It’s been two years and a month that Jeff Chiesa left office. How are the powers of this office eclipsed by the fact that you’re just acting Attorney General?
Hoffman: I don’t think they’re hampered or eclipsed one bit. I’ve never been treated in an acting capacity internally. I’ve never been treated externally that way. I’ve been able to fulfill all the function of this office. [Yesterday] We were at a press conference, where we announced a major law enforcement initiative in terms of putting body cameras on the State Police, incentivizing municipalities to deploy them. We’re issuing a comprehensive directive. We’re at the forefront of the country on this issue, and I don’t think that that bespeaks being hampered as a chief law enforcement officer of the state.
Aron: Attorney General is a constitutional officer and according to the Constitution you get to serve a five-year term that’s to create more independence in this office. As an acting you’re subject to the whims of the governor. Do you have as much independence as you would if you were full Attorney General?
Hoffman: Yes I do, absolutely. I’ve never felt in any way that my independence was in any way restrained or constrained in any regard. I don’t feel that way now. I’ve never felt that way for one day I’ve been in this office.
Aron: Did this office have anything to do with the investigation of Bridgegate when it broke? The Attorney General’s office took the Bridgegate investigation. One could imagine that it would be an apparent conflict if you had gotten involved in Bridgegate because you serve at the pleasure of the governor. What can you tell me about whether that’s the case?
Hoffman: I’ve never felt that my independence or my independent decisions in any way were restricted in this office, not one day. Now there were decisions that are made all the time by law enforcement. Sometimes those are deconfliction decisions when two law enforcement agencies have jurisdiction and can look at something. You look oftentimes at what agency’s in there, what agency has already investigated, who’s best situated to undertake an investigation and potential prosecution. We deconflict on a weekly if not daily basis for the U.S. Attorney’s Office on investigations and many times those factors are taken into consideration in making the rational decision to who’s in the best position to investigate a case. I’m not going to speak about specifics or particular investigations, but I will tell you that I have never for a second in any day felt that my independence in my decision making is in any way restricted.
Aron: There were some people who thought that the state statute on official misconduct fit the Bridgegate facts so much better than the federal statute under which some people have since been indicted. Were they right?
Hoffman: If I felt that the appropriate thing to do at the time was to be lead agency in that investigation, then we would have done that. As I said before and I’ll say it again, I’ve never felt for a second that my independence in this office has been restricted in any way, in any regard on any issue.
Aron: Christie says he’s very happy with the job you’re doing, but he has not submitted your name to the Senate for confirmation as Attorney General. Some people believe that’s because he doesn’t want the senators to get a chance to talk to you about Bridgegate. Do you think that’s the case?
Hoffman: I really don’t know. When Sen. [Frank] Lautenberg unfortunately passed away and Sen. Chiesa became the senator, I promised the governor that I would come in every day, I would lower my head and would work as hard as I could. From the second I got into this office, from the second I went home and I’ve done that every day. That’s all I’ve cared about and it’s all I’ve been concerned with.
Aron: You were on your way to becoming a judge at one point. What’s your feeling about taking that detour?
Hoffman: I think being a judge is one of the most dignified professions. It’s one that we as attorneys we all aspire to. So I think it’s an incredible honor to become a judge. At the same time I can’t say that being here for a year and a half hasn’t caused me to think what other options may be out there and what I may be interested to do. But I have to tell you Michael, trying to think about what may exist in the future is really not possible when you’re doing this job. It’s 24/7 focused on how I can serve the people of this state and that’s my responsibility and that’s what I promised the governor, that’s what I promised Sen. Chiesa and that’s what I’m going to do. When it’s all over and whenever it all ends, then I’ll figure out what’s appropriate for the future. But from my perspective, as long as I do my job here and I do it as best as I can, then the future will take care of itself.
Aron: How have you enjoyed doing this job?
Hoffman: It is the richest experience I think imaginable for an attorney in the state and at the same time, at times, it’s exhausting. I’d be lying if i didn’t say that it’s a 24/7 job. There are tremendous, diverse issues that come at you all the time. Very few of them I’m not involved in unless it’s in a decision making capacity so you have to be prepared and have to have really thought through those things. So it’s really, as I said, the richest and most fulfilling experience I know I’ll ever have.