Murphy’s attorney general nominee faces scrutiny for response to Katie Brennan rape allegation

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Govt. Phil Murphy’s announcement Thursday that he is nominating former chief counsel Matt Platkin to be New Jersey’s next attorney general has rekindled questions about how Platkin and other members of Murphy’s inner circle responded to allegations that a top campaign staffer raped a volunteer.

Katie Brennan, who publicly accused former Murphy official Al Alvarez of raping her during the governor’s 2017 campaign, tweeted Thursday afternoon that Platkin’s nomination is “deeply disappointing and sends a terrible message to survivors of sexual violence.”

“New Jersey deserves an AG representing the highest standards of ethics and the legal profession,” Brennan wrote. “We can do better.”

Meanwhile, Republican state Sens. Steve Oroho and Michael Doherty on Friday morning said the state Senate Judiciary Committee should thoroughly vet Platkin’s handling not only of Brennan’s allegation but how he helped Murphy, a Democrat, combat the coronavirus pandemic with extensive emergency powers.

“We have extremely serious concerns about Matt’s handling of Katie Brennan’s allegations of sexual assault and the guidance he provided Governor Murphy as chief counsel on the use of emergency powers during the pandemic,” said Oroho, R-Sussex, the Senate minority leader. “Matt is obviously a very smart guy, but he shouldn’t expect a free pass to avoid the scrutiny a nominee for Attorney General deserves.”

Platkin, a 35-year-old Montclair resident who was the top lawyer in the governor’s office until leaving last year to join a private practice, will become acting attorney general Feb. 14.

It’s up to the Democratic-controlled state Senate to confirm Platkin—long one of Murphy’s closest confidants—for the formal position. A confirmation hearing before the Senate’s judicial committee has not been set yet.

State Senate President Nicholas Scutari, D-Union, told NJ Advance Media on Friday he hopes Platkin will be confirmed but agreed he “needs to be carefully vetted.”

“I think he did an admirable job being counsel to the governor during a very difficult time, at the beginning of a pandemic that no one had ever seen before,” Scutari said during an interview at his legislative office in Linden. “And he’s a very smart young guy, and I think he’s grown a lot since he’s taken that position and gone back into private practice and now looking to come back as attorney general.”

Asked whether he expects Platkin to be confirmed, Scutari said: “I hope so. I don’t know. But I hope so.”

He added that “the vetting process is very important.”

Asked if he’s concerned about Platkin’s role in how Brennan’s allegations were handled, Scutari said: “I don’t know enough to know if I should be concerned. But that’s obviously something we’ll find out about.”

Platkin declined to comment Friday.

Brennan was a housing official in Murphy’s administration when she went public in 2018 with her allegations that Alvarez, an education official in Murphy’s administration, raped her during the governor’s first campaign.

She said she told members of Murphy’s inner circle, including Platkin, about the matter, but Alvarez received a state job anyway and kept it for months, until he resigned just before Brennan’s story became public in a newspaper story. Murphy has said he didn’t know about the allegations until Alvarez stepped down.

Alvarez has repeatedly denied the allegations and has never been charged with a crime.

A legislative panel investigating the issue accused senior Murphy officials, including Platkin, of mishandling the accusation, misleading lawmakers, and failing Brennan.

Platkin, who was a policyr on the campaign before becoming chief counsel to the governor, tested before the committee advised that he believed confidentiality rules barred him from telling Murphy about the allegations.

The panel said in its final report there was no legal justification for not informing the governor. And the committee accused Platkin of making weighty decisions “based on one hour of (Equal Employment Opportunity) training” and without consulting an employment lawyer.

A separate report commissioned by Murphy cleared top aides of wrongdoing and blamed the ordeal on a failed system.

Brennan, who has since left her state job, also sued the state and later settled with New Jersey and Murphy’s campaign for $1 million.

Jeannine LaRue, a former deputy chief of staff to form Gov. Jon Corzine who recently served on a special committee examining sexual harassment in New Jersey politics, said she has had “deep conversations” with Platkin about what happened during that period.

“I think if Matt could do it over again, he would have done some things different,” LaRue said. “I have no doubt about that. There’s no way in the world Matt Platkin hasn’t learned a whole lot since 2018.”

LaRue said she supports Platkin becoming attorney general.

“I want somebody like him sitting in that chair,” she said. “If he doesn’t become AG, we will have missed an opportunity. Matt Platkin is what we need for this moment.”

Murphy on Thursday praised Platkin as having the “strong legal skills” and “empathy” needed to be attorney general.

Alyana Alfaro, a spokesman for Murphy, said in a statement to NJ Advance Media on Friday that Platkin is “a once-in-a-generation legal talent whose depth of experience, record of public service, and commitment to issues like gun safety and voting rights will make him an extraordinary Attorney General.”

“The Governor has seen Matt’s legal acumen up close for many years, and the Governor can speak firsthand to Matt’s dedication to New Jersey and the people who call our state home,” Alfaro added. “The Governor looks forward to Matt’s confirmation.”

Platkin said his “highest priority will always be keeping our residents safe.”

A string of public officials — from both major political parties — released statements applauding Murphy’s pick, calling Platkin an intelligent lawyer with a passion for justice.

Before the Senate considers his nomination, Platkin will first have to get the support of the chamber’s four Essex County members, all of whom are Democrats. In New Jersey, senators from a nominee’s home county have senatorial courtesy, meaning they can stop that nominee from advancing.

One of them, Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz — a member of the legislative panel that investigated the handling of Brennan’s allegations — said Thursday that Platkin has shown “commitment to public service” and he will receive “a fair and thorough review.”

Another, Sen. Richard Codey, released a statement that didn’t mention Platkin at all but praised three other people who were reportedly considered for the post: assistant US Attorney Jamel Semper, state Assemblyman John McKeon, D-Essex, and Bruck.

Former state Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, a Bergen County Democrat who co-chaired the Brennan panel, told NJ Advance Media she’s “hopeful” Platkin “doesn’t come in there as the governor’s chief counsel but rather the independent attorney general.”

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Brent Johnson may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him at @johnsb01.

Matt Arco may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @MatthewArco.

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