On Thursday, Gov. Phil Murphy named a new attorney general, Matt Platkin, who previously served as the governor’s chief counsel. Once confirmed by the Senate, Platkin will replace acting Attorney General Andrew Bruck, who recently took over the position after Gurbir Grewal left for the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Platkin received an outpouring of support from state and national leaders, including U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, along with several advocacy groups. But it’s not good news for some. He served as chief counsel in the first Murphy administration and an investigation found the administration mishandled allegations brought by campaign staffer Katie Brennan, that she’d been sexually assaulted by another campaign member. That review came from a report commissioned by the governor’s office after Brennan’s allegations became public — although Platkin was not accused of wrongdoing in the matter.
Brennan released a statement against the nomination today, saying “This decision is deeply disappointing and sends a terrible message to survivors of sexual violence. New Jersey deserves an AG representing the highest standards of ethics. We can do better.”
Will any of this make headlines again as he goes through the Senate hearings?
