Name Michael Murphy Role New Jersey politician | Education Georgetown University | |
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Michael murphy for governor
William Michael Murphy, Jr. (born 1949) is a New Jersey Democratic Party politician, lobbyist and political consultant and is currently a partner at the lobbying firm Impact NJ. Murphy has served as the Morris County Prosecutor and was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Governor in 1997.
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A resident of Chatham Township, Murphy is a scion of the powerful Murphy-Hughes political legacy. His stepfather was two-term Governor and Supreme Court Chief Justice Richard J. Hughes. His brother, Brian M. Hughes, is the Mercer County Executive (the county's highest elected official). Another brother, John Hughes, is a retired federal magistrate judge.
Murphy was identified by PoliticsNJ.com as one of New Jersey's 100 most influential people as of 2004. He was closely aligned with former Governor Jon Corzine and the state's legislative leaders at the time, Senate then-President Richard Codey and Assembly then-Speaker Joseph Roberts.
Murphy, an attorney since 1975, is a graduate of Georgetown University and Seton Hall University School of Law. He serves as the Chairman of the Garden State Preservation Trust, to which he was appointed by former Governor Codey, and is also the immediate Past Chairman and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Public Policy Center of New Jersey. He routinely appears as a guest commentator on various programs, including CNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews and on MSNBC, Fox News, New Jersey Network, and News 12 New Jersey.
Murphy was said to have been a candidate for New Jersey Attorney General under Corzine, a spot that ultimately went to Zulima Farber.
Gubernatorial campaign
Murphy ran for Governor of New Jersey in 1997 but lost in the Democratic primary. Murphy received 21% of the vote, winning in five counties and placing second in twelve despite not having any notable endorsements. He ran behind Jim McGreevey and Congressman Rob Andrews. Today, Murphy and Andrews are considered to be strong political allies and friends.
Prosecutorial career
In New Jersey, the County Prosecutor is the equivalent of the District Attorney. Murphy was appointed to the post by former Governor James Florio. While serving as the top law enforcement official in Morris County, an affluent suburban community near New York City, Murphy successfully prosecuted Irene and Arthur Seale for the highly publicized kidnapping and murder of Exxon executive Sidney Reso in 1992. In 1994, he participated in the conviction of Mohammed Abequa, a county resident who murdered his wife, kidnapped his children and fled to his native Jordan. Working closely with the U.S. State Department and the Jordanian government, Murphy traveled to Jordan to assist in Abequa's trial and subsequent conviction. He served as President of the New Jersey Prosecutors Association.