CJ Griffin Discusses TRUST Commission Recommendations to Combat Corruption with The Jersey Vindicator

CJ Griffin, partner and director of the Justice Gary S. Stein Public Interest Center at Pashman Stein Walder Hayden P.C., was recently quoted in an article in The Jersey Vindicator titled, “New Jersey TRUST Commission Calls for Inspector General and Tougher Bidding Laws to Fight Corruption.” The article discusses how a state panel, the TRUST Commission, is recommending the creation of a new state inspector general’s office to better fight corruption, ethics abuses, and non-criminal fraud in New Jersey government.

Griffin said she welcomed many of the recommendations but wanted stronger measures related to police accountability.

Griffin said the state should make grand jury transcripts public in cases involving police shootings, arguing that secrecy is unnecessary when such investigations are required by law and the subject is already known.

“There’s really no need for secrecy,” Griffin said. “And being able to see how the prosecutor presented the case to the grand jury would build trust.”

She also criticized a recommendation encouraging the attorney general to engage more directly through alternative media channels.

“Journalists play an important role in holding government officials accountable,” Griffin said. “If they think they’re going to build trust by just going around the media, I find that very problematic.”

To read the full article in The Jersey Vindicator, click here.