Tanden will resign from Restart and Recover Commission, Murphy says

Neera Tanden will resign from Gov. Phil Murphy’s Restart and Recovery Commission to join President-elect Joe Biden’s administration, Murphy said Monday, but the timing of the move remains unclear.

“Neera will have to, clearly, step down from the commission,” Murphy said during Monday’s virus briefing. “Because the president-elect is not yet president, I’m not sure what the timing will be, because he has not technically nominated because he’s not yet there.”

Tanden heads the Center for American Progress, a left-leaning think tank based in Washington. Biden on Sunday announced he would appoint Tanden as the Office of Management and Budget’s next director.

The move earned high praise from Murphy.

“She is first rate in every respect. She’s been great to us as a state,” he said.

The governor said he was unaware of any other members of his administration who were headed to the new administration, though he did not rule out that more Biden staff moves could touch New Jersey.

“I know of nobody else, but there’s always — and I think this is a badge of honor — there’s always a lot of interest in our team members,” Murphy said. “We’ve got a very good relationship with the incoming administration. We’re back and forth with them all the time. I know of no one else at the moment, but that doesn’t mean that could not happen.”