GOP women call for investigation of Murphy hiring

Eight Republican women who serve in the New Jersey Legislature are  calling on Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin to investigate allegations regarding Gov. Phil Murphy’s hiring practices.

The legislators — State Sens. Dawn Addiego and Kristin Corrado and Assemblywomen Nancy Munoz, Betty Lou DeCroce, Serena DiMaso, DiAnne Gove, Amy Handlin and Holly Schepisi — made  their request after POLITICO New Jersey reported last night that Al Alvarez, a former Murphy campaign staffer who was hired as chief of staff at the New Jersey Schools Development Authority, was the subject of a criminal sexual misconduct investigation.

Alvarez resigned last week.

“It has been reported that the gubernatorial transition team was notified of the criminal investigation prior to his hiring. Further, it has been reported that the accuser contacted the Governor’s Office in the spring to notify the governor of the alleged criminal conduct.  Despite knowing the nature of the allegations, the Murphy Administration allowed him to remain in his position until resigning last week,” the legislators wrote.  “The nature of these hires — one clearly illegal, the other morally reprehensible — leads to the appearance of a culture within the Murphy Administration that is more concerned with  rewarding campaign supporters than serving the public interest. ”

The legislators also took a direct shot at the governor.

“Even worse, the hiring of someone subject to a criminal sexual investigation harkens to the governor’s days at Goldman Sachs, which is reportedly the subject of a federal class action lawsuit by female employees who claim a culture of sexism and misogyny at the company,” they said.  “It appears that the governor has brought this Wall Street boys-club mentality to State Street.