Murphy Announces Parimal Garg as Chief Counsel: Today, Governor Murphy Announced that Parimal Garg, current Deputy Chief Counsel to the Governor, will be named as his next Chief Counsel.
“I’ve relied on Parimal’s counsel for more than four years, and I consider him one of the sharpest legal minds in New Jersey,” said Governor Murphy. “As we continue to manage the challenging issues presented by the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis, I know Parimal will continue to provide the invaluable counsel he’s brought as an integral member of my senior team.”
Previous to serving as Deputy Chief Counsel to the Governor, Garg was a Senior Policy Advisor during then-candidate Murphy’s gubernatorial campaign. Prior to joining the campaign in August 2016, he clerked for New Jersey Supreme Court Chief Justice Stuart Rabner. He previously worked as an attorney at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in Washington, DC.
Weeks ago, current Chief Counsel Matt Platkin announced that he will be departing the Governor’s Office later this month to pursue an opportunity with the law firm of Lowenstein Sandler as a partner in the firm’s white collar and business litigation groups.
Murphy Allows Indoor Winter High School Sports: Governor Phil Murphy signed an executive order earlier this week which allows the resumption of contact practices and competitions in indoor settings for organized sports defined as “medium risk” and “high risk” by the New Jersey Department of Health. These sports include high school basketball, cheerleading, rugby, boxing, karate and taekwondo.
Indoor practices and competitions are limited to 25% of the capacity of the room, but not more than 25 or less than 10 persons, according to the order. However, if the number of individuals who are necessary for practice or competition may proceed if no unnecessary individuals – such as spectators – are present.
Christie Leaves Hospital after Bout with COVID: Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie left the hospital earlier this week after being admitted to treat symptoms related to COVID-19. Christie admitted himself to the hospital last Saturday as a “precautionary measure” as he is 58 years old, has asthma and has longed struggled with his weight, putting him in a higher risk category.
Christie, who was treated at Morristown Medical Center, thanks the “extraordinary doctors and nurses” and said he “will have more to say about all of this next week.”
New Jersey Prepares for Second Wave of COVID-19: On Thursday, New Jersey Health Department officials announced 1,301 new cases, an increase of 61 patients from just the day before, and a level not seen since Aug. 6, when 754 people were hospitalized with COVID-19.
The state has seen escalating case totals in Monmouth and Ocean counties along the Jersey Shore, particularly in Lakewood, a township of more than 100,000 people. In total, 22 percent of the 1,301 new cases were in Ocean County, and 10 percent were in Monmouth County. The rest were from a smattering of other counties across the state.
Health Commissioner Judith Perichilli warned that without proper action the statewide caseload will continue to increase.
More than 20,000 NJ Businesses Received $74.2M of COVID Aid: The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) announced on Friday that more than 20,000 businesses in the state have been approved for COVID-19 relief since the start of the pandemic in mid-March.
In total, the EDA approved 20,073 businesses for more than $74.2 million worth of grants, low-cost grants, partnerships with investors and Community Development Financial Institutions, and technical assistance programs.
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