GOV. PHIL MURPHY SPOKESMAN MAHEN GUNARATNA
“Outside the context of any campaign, Governor Murphy has consistently and accurately noted that the bracketing of candidates is permitted by duly enacted laws that have been on the books for decades. It is well-established that Attorneys General have a general obligation to defend the constitutionality of statutes, regardless of their own personal views. The Governor believes that a legal defense of the statute permitting bracketing would have been appropriate and consistent with the actions of prior Attorneys General.”
HOBOKEN MAYOR AND CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE RAVI BHALLA
“I applaud Attorney General Platkin’s independence and moral clarity on the issue. The legal reasoning he cited is precisely why I filed an amicus brief supporting Representative Kim’s lawsuit. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, it’s time to abolish the line and put we the people back in charge of our democracy.”
NEWARK MAYOR RAS BARAKA
“Today was a good day for democracy because our Attorney General decided not to defend the indefensible. His choice confirms what many of us already knew, the line as it’s administered across the state is an antidemocratic system that works to empower the few over the many. We are ready to turn a new leaf in this state and losing the line is an important step towards reimagining the power of the New Jersey people.”
FORMER ROCKAWAY TOWNSHIP GOP MAYOR JEREMY JEDYNAK
“Current and future generations of New Jersey voters owe a debt of gratitude to AG Matt Platkin for his letter to the court acknowledging that the county line system is unconstitutional and indefensible, as well as to Rep Andy Kim whose vocal opposition to the county line system and related litigation spurred the AG letter.
“Their respective actions pave the way toward a functioning democracy in NJ primary elections. Both have acted boldly in the interest of voters while surrounded by too many others who have lacked the courage to do the same.”