Weinberg backs Juliano nomination to Horizon board

Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg has endorsed Paul Juliano for a seat on the board of directors of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.

“I’m completely supportive of my friend and Bergen County colleague Paul Juliano joining the Horizon board, and look forward to officially signing off when his formal nomination reaches my desk,” Weinberg said.

Juliano, the Bergen County Democratic Chairman, would replace Republican Michele Brown if he is confirmed by the State Senate.

Gov. Phil Murphy filed Juliano’s nomination on Thursday.

Brown served as a top aide to Chris Christie during his time as U.S. Attorney and governor of New Jersey.

Weinberg and State Sen. Nia Gill (D-Montclair) where the only members of the Senate Judiciary Committee not to support Brown’s nomination to the Horizon board in 2017.

In 2009, Weinberg called out Brown for supervising Freedom of Information requests from Gov. Jon Corzine’s campaign for documents related to Christie’s travel while serving as a federal prosecutor.

Christie was running against Corzine at the time – Weinberg was the Democratic nominee for Lt. Governor – and Brown was the First Assistant U.S. Attorney.

Brown had faced criticism for attending a Christie campaign event while working for the Justice Department, and resigned after disclosure that she had taken a $46,000 personal loan from Christie while working for him.

Christie had not disclosed interest income from the Brown loan on his federal income tax returns or on personal financial disclosures.

The New York Times reported that Brown pushed for more than 40 arrests on political corruption and money laundering cases be made before July 1, 2009, so that Christie, not U.S. Attorney-designate Paul Fishman “would be given credit for the roundup.”