TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - A report from the New Jersey’s state watchdog says officials in the governor’s office were in close touch with an official accused of hiring relatives and friends while she led a state school construction agency.
The State Commission of Investigation released a report Wednesday into the Schools Development Authority, which oversees construction of schools, media outlet nj.com reported. The report says it found frequent communication between the former CEO of the agency and members of Governor Phil Murphy’s staff.
Lizette Delgado-Polanco resigned as CEO in April 2019 following reporting in The Record newspaper that she improperly hired relatives and friends to positions at the agency for which they were not qualified.
“Murphy administration employees said they did not authorize every detail of Delgado-Polanco’s managerial decisions but their actions, and in some cases, inaction, made it clear that she conducted her overall activities as CEO with the tacit approval of the Governor’s Office,” the report from the Commission of Investigation said.
“Records obtained by the Commission indicate a steady stream of frequent communication - via phone and text message - between Delgado-Polanco and top-ranking members of Gov. Phil Murphy’s staff throughout her employment,” the report said.
The commission sent Delgado-Polanco sections of the report in advance and included a response from her in which she said the report smeared her and was a “hit job” against her.
A response from Murphy’s former chief-of-staff Pete Cammarano also was included in the report and said the commission overstated the depth and frequency of communications between him and Delgado-Polanco.
In July last year, 30 employees were fired, including 27 hired by Delgado-Polanco. Audits commissioned by the governor’s office found that Delgado-Polanco hired dozens of people to the agency without following mandatory procedures like posting open positions.
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