When Katie Brennan reached out to Justin Braz in December of 2017 to convey information about a

sexual assault committed by Al Alvarez, she told Senator Loretta Weinberg (D-37) that she believed that Braz did not use her name as the victim in the Alvarez case.

“He did not use my name when he told transition counsel,” Brennan said. “I was concerned what would happen if they knew it was me. I had an open criminal investigation [at the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office]. My understanding was he was going to leave my name off.

“I was a transition official and an applicant [for a government job],” she added.

Weinberg mused for a few moments on the how and why of that job, and what it might mean in the larger process of how Murphy’s transition team hired people.

“We do have policies and procedures, whether they were considered part of the procedures of the housing mortgage and finance authority, that is one thing we need to clarify,” said the veteran senator.