Following The Wall Street Journal report about allegations of sexual assault against Al Alvarez made by Katie Brennan, former AG Peter Verniero will conduct an independent investigation into the hiring practices at the Murphy Administration, Governor Phil Murphy told reporters this afternoon at a press conference in Newark.

The Governor said he and First Lady Tammy Murphy did not hear about the case until Oct. 2nd.

“I want New Jersey to be nothing less than the gold standard, where victims are supported,” Murphy said in a statement.

“This should never have happened,” the Governor added. “In this instance the hiring process did not reflect our values. Sexual misconduct in any form is and will be continued to be treated with the utmost gravity.

“We are confident this was handled appropriately,” he added.

But it’s not enough, said the Governor, who acknowledged being “sick to his stomach.”

Murphy said he and the First Lady will speak to Katie Brennan by phone at 3 p.m. this afternoon “about the profound heartbreak she is going through.”

Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver will also meet with Brennan, who said she was raped during the 2017 gubernatorial campaign by Alvarez, who worked in the Murphy Administration until he resigned two weeks ago.

Brennan said she tried to get the attention of the campaign and the Governor himself but failed to find someone who would hear her cries.

The Governor said he is putting together a real “exhaustive investigation” – unlike Washington into the hiring practices.

In charge of the investigation, Verniero previously served as a Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court and as New Jersey Attorney General and is a Sills Cummis and Gross attorney in private practice.

“Much of this I read about for the first time in Kate’s article yesterday,” Murphy said.

Verniero’s systemic review will including the hiring of Alvarez at the transition office and at the Schools Development Authority.

“Within that mandate I have been assured that I will have complete independence,” Verniero wrote in a statement shared by the Governor.

The former AG expects to complete his investigation by “the end of the year.”

“Let’s stand up for Katie,” Murphy urged.

The Governor said he does intend to still pursue his scheduled nine-day trip to Germany and Israel.

“This is no whitewash,” Murphy promised of the coming Verniero investigation, which begins today.

“I’m looking forward to Peter Verniero’s call on this,” he added.  “I knew that he [Al] was hired but I didn’t push for it, I also was unaware of any of this.”

VERNIERO’S ENTIRE STATEMENT CAN BE READ HERE