Former Murphy Official Denies Rape Allegations but Offers Few Answers

A former aide in New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy's administration, who resigned amid accusations of rape, testified before a legislative oversight committee for the first time on Tuesday.

Legislators went into Tuesday's hearing with the understanding that they would not ask the former aide, Al Alvarez, about allegations that he raped a female colleague while they were both working on Murphy's 2017 gubernatorial campaign. But Alvarez ended up addressing the accusations in his opening statement.

"These false allegations have devastated my career and have brought an emotional toll upon myself and my loved ones that no one should have to go through," he said. 

Alvarez's appearance came just one day after his attorneys provided video and audio from the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office to POLITICO. Those files, and his Tuesday appearance, have allowed Alvarez to publicly present his account of the 2017 encounter with colleague Katie Brennan for the first time — an encounter which he said was consensual. The files also shed light on why prosecutors did not bring charges in the case.

POLITICO had not reviewed all the tapes as of Monday night. But according to the site, "Brennan did not tell lawmakers that prosecutors had told her in October 2017 that the DNA [analyzed from her rape kit] did not match Alvarez."

Lawmakers said Tuesday's hearing would be focused on the hiring practices of Murphy's administration, and specifically, they'd try to answer one seemingly simple question: Who gave Alvarez a six-figure government job, even though top staffers already knew about Brennan's claims that he sexually assaulted her?

Michael Critchley, an attorney hired by legislators at public expense, repeatedly questioned Alvarez.

"Who hired you?," Critchley asked over and over.

"I can't tell you that I know who specifically said: You're hired," Alvarez responded. "I know that I expressed my interest there and no one objected to me going there.

Alvarez said at least three superiors eventually told him he should leave his post as chief of staff at the Schools Development Authority in light of Brennan's accusations. He said he'd be willing to resign, but only if they could help him find a new job. He stayed in the administration for more than six months after he was first asked to step down, and received a 21 percent raise in the process. Alvarez finally resigned on Oct. 2, after the Wall Street Journal contacted him about Brennan's claims.

"[If not] for that article, you'd be working October 3, 4, 5?" Critchley asked.

"Yes," Alvarez responded.

It's not clear where the legislative investigation goes from here, but lawmakers said they'll eventually be issuing a report on the hiring practices of the Murphy Administration