Corrado/Oroho: National Democrats Block Export of “Toxic Culture” Ignored by Gov. Murphy

Senator Kristin Corrado and Senator Steven Oroho said a toxic culture of misogyny that has long surrounded Governor Phil Murphy was thrust into the national spotlight in recent days when it was revealed that a pair of the governor’s political advisors were accused of abusive behavior and fired from their positions helping to organize the Democratic National Convention.

Corrado said she hopes the news out of Milwaukee will push the Governor to join a bipartisan legislative effort to fix the culture of Trenton.

“Perhaps being in the national spotlight for the wrong reasons will provide Governor Murphy the incentive he needs to start addressing the misogynistic culture that he and his administration have helped perpetuate,” said Corrado (R-40). “Instead of always rushing to defend the indefensible, the governor should lead by example and hold his team accountable when they do wrong. If he doesn’t, nothing will change.”

Murphy’s former advisors were dismissed from the DNC Host Committee in response to allegations they created a “toxic and unstable working environment.”

The claim was made in a letter sent by a group of high-ranking women on the Host Committee who say they were subject to consistent bullying and intimidation, which was “primarily directed at the women on staff.”

Corrado and Oroho, who serve on the bipartisan Legislative Select Oversight Committee (LSOC), said what was reported in Milwaukee matches a pattern of behavior demonstrated by the governor’s confidants in Trenton.

“We have heard the stories of multiple women who worked on Governor Murphy’s campaign and in his administration who claim a hostile and toxic culture in the organizations he led,” said Oroho (R-24). “We have seen the evidence provided by two of those brave women, Katie Brennan and Julie Roginsky, who reached out directly to the Governor to express their concerns only to be ignored or rebuffed. Thankfully the women who reported abuse in Milwaukee received greater consideration than Ms. Brennan and Ms. Roginsky received from Governor Murphy here in New Jersey.”

The LSOC listened to Brennan explain at length how her direct outreach attempts to Governor Murphy regarding her alleged rape while working on his campaign were brushed off.

Recently, Roginsky, a former senior advisor to Murphy for Governor, was finally permitted to tell her story of abuse after the governor was pressured into releasing her from a non-disclosure agreement that had prevented her from talking publicly about the toxic environment in his campaign. She explained how Murphy, then a gubernatorial candidate, failed to rectify the detailed concerns she raised to him about a number of serious abuses that were occurring on the campaign. Roginsky was dismissed from her position soon thereafter.

“Both Ms. Brennan and Ms. Roginsky had direct access to Governor Murphy and attempted to warn him of a toxic culture that demeaned women and put them at risk,” said Corrado. “Both times, the governor failed to listen, failed to take corrective action, and failed to better protect the women who worked for him.”

Oroho questioned if the reports out of Milwaukee will be enough for the governor to understand the role he has played in these events.

“It’s shocking to watch national Democrats scramble to block the toxic culture of Governor Murphy’s inner circle of advisors from infecting presidential politics,” added Oroho. “How many more stories from abused women must we hear before the governor recognizes that his refusal to hold his staff accountable sets a tone at the top that helps protect and fosters this abhorrent behavior?”