CJ Griffin Discusses Government Watchdogs with NJ Spotlight News

CJ Griffin, partner and director of the Justice Gary S. Stein Public Interest Center at Pashman Stein Walder Hayden P.C., was recently featured in an NJ Spotlight News (Powered by NJ PBS) segment titled, “Does NJ Have Too Many Government Watchdogs Fighting Corruption?” In it, Griffin discusses the bad-faith attempt to strip an effective watchdog of subpoena power and rush it through an improper legislative process.

“It’s really just about not wanting this particular person, who’s been very effective at holding politicians and government contractors accountable. They don’t want him to have that power anymore,” Griffin explained. “And because the statute doesn’t allow him to be fired just because they don’t like him — he can only be fired for cause — the way they want to do it is just say, okay, we’re going to deprive you of the one tool that allows you to do your job: subpoena power.”

“I think more watchdogs is better than fewer watchdogs, all that sort of stuff. This is just not a genuine attempt to do any of that. So that’s one issue, like the bill itself. And then the other is the process. The process is not right. Don’t cram a bill through lame duck like this. Don’t bully committee members into passing a bill through committee when they say they have reservations about it,” Griffin said.

“The process is not right. Don’t cram a bill through lame duck like this. Don’t bully committee members into passing a bill through committee when they say they have reservations about it,” Griffin concluded.

To watch the full segment, click here.