Former AG may be next NJ Supreme Court justice

Murphy officials: Governor to nominate Hoffman

By: Jim Beckerman
and Katie Sobko
NorthJersey.com
USA Today Network - New Jersey

..... Governor Phil Murphy will nominate former acting state attorney general John Jay Hoffman to be the next New Jersey Supreme Court justice, according to Murphy administration officials.
..... Appointed by then-Governor Chris Christie, Hoffman held New Jersey's top law enforcement position from June 2013 through March 2016, making him the longest acting attorney general in state history. He currently serves as general counsel and senior vice president at Rutgers University, where he has worked since 2016.
..... A confirmation would mean Murphy had selected five of the top court's seven justices, the most since governor Christie Whitman in the 1990s. Hoffman who lives in Burlington County, would take the seat of Lee Solomon, a Republican who this year [2024] is reaching the court's mandatory retirement age of 70.
..... Murphy's office issued a news release on Saturday [06/08/2024] saying the Democratic governor would "make a major announcement" in Trenton on Monday. [06/17/2024]

John Jay Hoffman's record as acting AG

..... During the Christie years, Hoffman was known for fighting organized crime and carjacking rings. He also reformed state procedures for investigation police shootings, instituted body cameras for the New Jersey State Police, and oversaw prosecutions of fraudulent Superstorm Sandy relief claims.
..... In addition, he spearheaded programs to fight opioid abuse. That included initiatives to present the misuse of prescription drugs and to distribute Narcan, an overdose antidote, to law enforcement agencies statewide, according to his biography on Rutger's website.
..... There were also controversies, including his handling of Bridgegate, the scandal involving the politically motivated shutdown of lanes at the George Washington Bridge. Hoffman, after ceding the investigation to federal authorities, was criticized as unduly deferential to Chris Christie , at whose pleasure he served.
..... His office also came under fire in 2015 when it moved to settle a $9 billion environmental lawsuit against ExxonMobil for $225 million.
..... Before being named acting attorney general, Hoffman directed the Division of Investigation for the State comptrollers Office, a role focused on fighting government waste, fraud and abuse. He also served as a trial attorney for the Civil division of the U.S. Justice department and as the assistant U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, where he focused on economic and white-collar prosecutions. Hoffman received his undergraduate degree in 1987 form Colgate University, and his law degree in 1992 from the Duke University School of Law.

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