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Katie Brennan, the head of the government administration Phil Murphy who accused of raping a former staff member, told state lawmakers on Tuesday that the progressive administration that has been in charge of the government is "in the dark. she hoped to protect would not do anything until her allegations threatened the governor. "I've had access to the highest positions of power and every turn, my pleas have gone unanswered," Brennan told The Statehouse in Trenton. "In one way or another, it was not a priority to treat my sexual assault … until it affected them."
Brennan said that after consulting the Wall Street Journal, which published its report in October, she found a semblance of justice.
"No survivor should have to tell his story to the newspaper to be heard." Brennan said.
In her 20-minute introductory remarks and in the ensuing discussions with legislators, Brennan offered a hard and energetic testimony. She is the first person to appear before the special committee of the state legislature who is investigating how Murphy's team handled his charges.
Brennan recounted the days, weeks and months following the day she claims to have been raped by Albert J. Alvarez, who resigned in October. staff member of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority
She began her opening statement a few hours after declaring she had been raped, stating that she could not discuss the criminal case reviewed by the office of the Middlesex County Attorney. [19659008] Katie Brennan is sworn in with the creation of the selected Legislative Oversight Committee. Brennan, a state representative, claims to have been sexually assaulted by Albert J. Alvarez, who resigned in October ” sizes=”(max-width: 599px) 599px, (min-width: 600px) 881px, (min-width: 980px) 533px, 599px”/>
Previously, Brennan, 31, chief of staff at the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, had told The Wall Street Journal that Alvarez had raped her in April 2017 as a result of a campaign meeting after having conducted. home in Jersey City.
Alvarez asks to use the toilet and to take a glass of water. Once in her apartment, said Brennan, Alvarez pushed her onto the couch. He took off his pants and underwear, took off some clothes and forced himself to take it. She stated that she was thrown out and locked up in the bathroom.
First, Brennan called her husband, who was abroad. The next day she confided that she was confiding in Justin Braz, the current chief of staff in charge of legislative affairs in the Murphy administration, whom she described as a friend. personal, knowing that he would keep that private.
"I needed someone who knew Mr. Alvarez to know what happened to me," she said. I knew that if I wanted to continue my career in housing and government in New Jersey, continue to participate in the Murphy campaign for the government, I would inevitably come across Mr. Alvarez, who was then working as campaign director for Latino and the Muslims, needed support and protection. "
Here's What You Need to Know About Key Figures of Sexual Assault Hearings
In August Brennan joined the campaign in 2017.
" As a Sexual Assault Victim, I Should not not be the one who gives up my career goals in favor of my rapist's career goals. "
Murphy won the governorship race in November, Bre nnan said that Alvarez had been appointed deputy director of staff of the transition team, responsible for hiring decisions while Brennan was looking for her current position as chief of staff of the Housing Agency.
Brennan's lawyer sent a letter to Alvarez asking him to recuse himself from any role in his hiring
On December 1, 2017, Brennan stated that she had given Braz permission to do so. Alert the lawyer of Murphy's transition that criminal charges could be incurred. She said that he had forwarded her allegations but not her name. When asked if she feared retaliation if her name was made public, Brennan replied, "Of course."
That day, however, the Hudson's County Attorney's Office let her know that they would not sue.
"There are no words. to express the emptiness and disappointment I felt, "said Brennan. "They did not think people would believe me."
"I told Mr. Braz that the criminal case was not progressing, but the transition lawyer knew now that Mr. Alvarez had sexually assaulted someone." Was hoping that justice would be rendered in another form. "That never happened."
Brennan told the legislator that she was living under the constant threat of meeting Alvarez, and even though She was nervous, she spoke to Murphy's chief counsel, Matt Platkin.
"I was confident that the administration would help me to seek justice and protect myself in my workplace," she said. "I thought that if an administration could proceed with progressive reforms would be this one. "
After the Governor's Chief Ethics Counselor advised her, the state could not act, because neither Alvarez nor Brennan was able to do anything about it. were government employees Brennan said he personally sent an e-mail to Murphy and First Lady, Tammy Murphy.
"I sent the e-mail to the governor because I was missing Options, "she said.
Brennan asked to discuss a" sensitive topic. " , "And received a response from Murphy that he was" on. "The governor's office did not follow a meeting schedule," she said.
Shortly after her exchange of email with the governor, Brennan said that she had received a call from the campaign's lawyer, Jonathan Berkon, she did not tell him what the "sensitive issue" was about, or even the Alvarez's name
"I did not say anything, he said that Mr. Alvarez was leaving the administration," said Brennan.
Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, co-chair of the committee, replied, "Someone must have warned him."
Two months later, Alvarez had learned that still at home. State service, Brennan went to the Journal.
In a statement issued after a nearly five-hour hearing, Murphy praised Brennan's courage.
"She is right: no one should have to go through a trial to be heard," said the governor's statement, "We must stand with survivors of sexual assault and we must begin by believing in the accuser. "
Murphy also indicated that he had launched an independent investigation into the hiring of Alvarez, and at the request of the governor, Attorney General Gurbir Grewal has developed new procedures that officials Law enforcement will use to make the system more "victim-centered." These include giving sexual assault victims the opportunity to meet with prosecutors who are proposing negotiations to lay criminal charges. 19659002] "I am committed to working with Attorney General Grewal and the government of the entire state to ensure that New Jersey is a place where the juice tice is the right of every person and where each person is treated with dignity and respect while
Alvarez, through the intermediary of his lawyer, has denied the accusations. The Hudson County District Attorney's Office refused to file a complaint, but since it published its story in October, the state attorney general's office assigned the case to the prosecutor's office. Middlesex County to give the evidence another look. Brennan said Friday at Star-Ledger that she had not been
Brennan is the first of a potentially superior list to a dozen witnesses that the New Jersey Legislative Oversight Committee will choose to call in the next few months. The purpose of the committee is to review the hiring practices of the Murphy administration and highlight the weaknesses of the criminal justice system likely to prevent the continuation of the number of rape case.
Brennan encouraged the committee to use its experience to change the criminal justice system. and how the victims are treated. She recounted a difficult meeting with the Jersey City police officer who wrote the police report about her rape. She described the report as "biased" and the police officer as a person with little training in working with the survivors.
"What you are doing today is huge. You are a women's lawyer, "Holly Schepisi, R-Bergen, a member of the Assembly of States, revealed that she had been a victim of sexual assault ten years ago. "One of my biggest regrets was asking me if other women had been assaulted," she said.
Legislators' criticism of how Murphy's team handled Brennan's allegations and their decision to hold hearings put a strain on the relationship between the governor and the Democrats.
The hearings could help shape the public opinion of a rookie governor, further harming Murphy's relationship with lawmakers while they were trying to set up legal marijuana and a minimum wage of $ 15, and to undermine her image as a women's rights advocate and ally of the party. #MeToo movement.
NJ Advance Media Brent Johnson contributed to this report.
Samantha Marcus can be reached at smarcus @ njadvancemedia. Follow her on Twitter @samanthamarcus .
You can contact Susan K. Livio at [email protected] . Twi tter @SusanKLivio .
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