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New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is term-limited and will be replaced next January; considering he has an approval rating somewhere between George Santos and Norovirus, my assumption is that he won’t be seeking higher office for at least a little while.
That being said, he might not be out of the news when his successor gets elected this November — all thanks to a stupid admission he made during what The New York Times charitably described as “a freewheeling discussion at a New Jersey college” back in February.
According to a Friday report in the Times, Murphy is being subpoenaed by interim U.S. attorney Alina Habba, the top federal prosecutor in New Jersey, regarding comments he made about hiding a woman who he intimated might have been an illegal immigrant in his attic.
“FBI agents have since sought to interview at least four witnesses in connection with the comments, two of the people said, with one adding that the governor had been subpoenaed but not questioned,” the paper reported.
“Two of the people with knowledge of the investigation involving Mr. Murphy’s comments indicated that it was separate from any Justice Department inquiry related to New Jersey’s so-called sanctuary policy, which has been upheld by a federal appeals court. There has been no public sign of that inquiry moving forward.”
The investigation began after remarks Murphy made at an event hosted by progressive group Blue Wave New Jersey.
“There is someone in our broader universe whose immigration status is not yet at the point that they are trying to get it to,” Murphy said. --->READ MORE HERE
Governor Phil Murphy may be out of office soon, but his own words could keep him in the headlines. A federal investigation is now underway after he joked about harboring an undocumented immigrant at his home.
Key Facts:
- Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey is under federal investigation following remarks made at a February event.
- Murphy claimed he housed a woman with unclear immigration status above his garage to hide her from federal authorities.
- Former ICE Director Tom Homan flagged the comments and said they could constitute a federal crime under Title 8 U.S. Code 1324.
- The FBI has interviewed at least four witnesses, and Murphy has reportedly received a subpoena.
- Murphy’s office claims he was misinterpreted and denies anyone ever lived in the home in question.
The Rest of The Story:
In February, at a progressive event hosted by Blue Wave New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy shared a story that is now raising legal questions.
He spoke of a woman whose immigration status was not yet resolved, and how he and his wife allegedly housed her in their garage apartment.
He followed the statement with defiance: “Good luck to the feds coming in to try to get her.”
The remark caught the attention of Tom Homan, former acting director of ICE, who stated that “knowingly harboring” an illegal immigrant would be a violation of federal law.
Homan said his team would investigate the matter and pursue prosecution if warranted.
The New York Times later reported that federal agents had begun interviewing witnesses, and that Murphy himself had been subpoenaed.
While both the U.S. Attorney’s office and the Governor’s office declined comment, a spokesperson for Murphy insisted he was “misinterpreted” and no such person ever lived at the property.
Still, the investigation is reportedly separate from any ongoing federal review of New Jersey’s sanctuary policies, and it remains unclear if further legal action is imminent.
Meanwhile, this incident could complicate the upcoming gubernatorial race, where Democrats are already trying to distance themselves from Murphy. --->READ MORE HERE
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