Ex-Christie, Rumsfeld aide could be Murphy chief of staff

A former member of Chris Christie’s cabinet is reportedly under consideration to become Gov. Phil Murphy’s new chief of staff.

Jared Maples, the director of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, is now a possible candidate to succeed Peter Cammarano, according to several sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Maples joined the Christie administration in 2016 after a decade at the Central Intelligence Agency.  Before that, he worked on the staff of U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

Christie elevated Maples to the top Homeland Security post in mid-2017.  Murphy kept him on when he took office in 2018.

Maples is the son-in-law of Nutley Town Commissioner Thomas Evans, the Democratic municipal chairman.  His wife, Mary, also worked on Christie’s staff and was elevated to authorities unit director under Murphy.  She left in September to become general counsel at University Hospital in Newark.

Murphy has not met with Maples to discuss the post, sources said.  Instead, Maples was approached by emissaries of the governor.