WASHINGTON — Gov. Phil Murphy acknowledged Saturday he had "many more steps to take'' to make sure that he would never again be accused of having a hostile workplace.
“I’m proud of a lot of the steps we have taken, but it’s quite clear we have many more steps to take,” Murphy told NJ Advance Media in Washington, where he is attending the National Governors Association’s winter conference.
Murphy’s comments were his first since two political allies, Liz Gilbert and Adam Alonso, were ousted from leading the 2020 Democratic National Convention’s host committee amid anonymous charges of a “toxic and unstable working environment."
Their firings came just weeks after another former top adviser, Julie Roginsky, said Murphy’s 2017 campaign for governor was marred by misogyny and a “toxic workplace environment."
“This has been a period of great reflection for me, personally having a lot of conversations," Murphy said.
He said those conversations focused on setting standards “with real meat on the bones” for "workplace conditions in everything from government to campaigns to the way our state parties are run to our society more broadly.”
The episodes came as Murphy this weekend cut a national figure as chairman of the Democratic Governors Association.
“No one is accusing Phil Murphy of misconduct, but the question becomes, ‘Do you foster an environment that allowed this misconduct?’” said Democratic consultant Glenn Totten, who has worked on New Jersey legislative races.
It’s especially potent in the #MeToo era, when several prominent men have seen their careers end after assaulting women.
In December, NJ Advance Media reported that 20 female campaign staffers, lobbyists, political operatives and lawmakers said they were groped, sexually propositioned, harassed or marginalized while trying to build careers in state and local politics.
Murphy, as DGA chairman, will help lead the political fight against President Donald Trump, a Republican who has been accused numerous times of sexual harassment.
“If the DGA expects him to be the spokesman for this organization and he, too, has this pall over his house, that’s a problem," Totten said.
Murphy acknowledged that the larger issue needed to be addressed, and he was doing so.
“I don’t spend a lot of time on the reflects badly part,” Murphy said. “I want to have the best in substance workplace conditions anywhere in the country. We’ve made significant progress, but it’s quite clear to me we have a ways to go. I want to make sure that we set a bar that is beyond any other place in America, and that includes campaigns.”
Murphy critics — especially Republicans — said the incidents were the latest example of the governor having personnel issues that cast doubt on his leadership abilities.
“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 state Sen. Kristin Corrado, R-Passaic.
The controversies changed the narrative from the one Murphy wanted to display, said Ben Dworkin, director of Rowan University’s Institute for Public Policy and Citizenship.
“It hasn’t been the best couple weeks for the governor,” Dworkin said. “Phil Murphy would much rather be talking about his successes rather than toxic work environments. Anybody would.”
The Milwaukee controversy unfolded early this past week after senior women on the host committee for the July convention sent an anonymous letter to its board saying Alonso "bullied and intimidated” them and that Gilbert “enabled” his behavior.
Gilbert, who previously served as national finance director of Murphy’s 2017 campaign, was executive director of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee before landing the Milwaukee job in May.
Her lawyer, Peg Schaffer, said she was “outraged” the committee’s board would “fire somebody based on unsubstantiated allegations."
Alonso has not returned multiple messages seeking comment. But he told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he was proud of his team in Milwaukee.
Murphy said he didn’t know Gilbert or Alonso were hired until they told him. He said he was never asked for letters of recommendation.
He said he has cut ties with both people. Alonso worked on his campaign, briefly served as his deputy chief of staff and has remained a top adviser.
“If after they do their investigations those allegations turn out to be true, that’s completely unacceptable workplace behavior and conditions,” Murphy said.
Meanwhile, Murphy has faced allegations that his 2017 campaign was also a toxic place to work.
In one instance, Joe Kelley, the campaign’s finance director, was accused of angrily throwing a chair in the presence of a female staff member. The campaign cleared Kelley after an investigation, and he continues to hold a top position in Murphy’s administration.
And last month, Roginsky told Star-Ledger columnist Tom Moran that the campaign was “the most toxic workplace environment I have ever seen in 25 years of working on political campaigns.”
Murphy earlier downplayed Roginsky’s claims, saying she was involved in a dispute with senior staffers and that her comments did not reflect “a larger workplace issue.”
While Murphy is not up for re-election until next year and there’s time for him to “bounce back,” Dworkin said the controversies could have a “lasting impact” if Murphy wants a higher position — perhaps a cabinet post — in the future.
“It’s not insurmountable, but it’s gonna come up,” Dworkin said.
Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01.
Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook.
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Murphy concedes he has 'many more steps to take’ on hostile workplace conditions - nj.com
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