Tiffany Williams Brewer resigns as SCI executive director after four days

Tiffany Williams Brewer today resigned as executive director of the State Commission of Investigation, four days after her appointment was announced and one day after the Asbury Park Press reported that she was living in Maryland and working as a law professor at Howard University.

She blamed SCI employees for torpedoing her.

“While I remain dedicated to public service, the recent events, including the revelation of employee-driven mischaracterizations of my actions to the media, have created a toxic climate that dissuades me from continuing in this role,” said Brewer.  “I am disappointed that this environment, which undermines the integrity of the SCI, has necessitated my resignation.”

Brewer pushed back on criticism of her dual residency – to receive property tax advantages, she claimed her home in Prince George’s County as her principal residence – but didn’t address how she planned to work a full-time job in New Jersey while teaching in Washington, D.C. three days a week.

“My dual residency in Maryland and New Jersey has always been transparent and in full compliance with all relevant regulations,” Brewer said.  “It has never interfered with my duties at the SCI or constituted an ethical lapse. Let me be clear – my residency status has never run afoul of the New Jersey First Act.”

She said that the recent events compromised the SCI’s need to be independent from politics.

“Recent events, however, have seen an unacceptable shift in focus. The unwarranted scrutiny of my personal life, particularly my residency, and the mischaracterization of my academic pursuits are deeply concerning,” Brewer said.  “These distractions undermine the SCI’s critical mission and create an environment incompatible with my vision for its future.”