Michael Murphy (politician)

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Michael Murphy

Michael Murphy, born William Michael Murphy, Jr. in 1949, is a prominent New Jersey lobbyist and political consultant (partner at the lobbying firm Impact NJ) who ran for Governor in the Democratic primary in 1997 and had previously served as the Morris County Prosecutor. He 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 federal magistrate judge. His former wife, Marianne Espinosa, is a Superior Court judge.

Murphy, identified by PoliticsNJ.com as one of New Jersey's 100 most influential people^[1], founded Impact NJ in 2004 with a partner, controversial "whiz kid" entrepreneur Raj Mukherji. Murphy has close friendships with current Governor of New Jersey Jon Corzine and the state's legislative leaders, Senate President Richard Codey and Assembly 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 by Jon Corzine, a spot that ultimately went to Zulima Farber^[2].

1 Gubernatorial campaign
2 Prosecutorial highlights
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Gubernatorial campaign

During his run for Governor in the 1997 Democratic gubernatorial primary race, Murphy won 5 counties and placed second in 12. He ran against James E. McGreevey who was subsequently elected but resigned after admitting a homosexual affair, and Congressman Robert Andrews. Today, Murphy and Andrews are considered to be strong political allies and friends.

[edit] Prosecutorial highlights

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 Arthur and Irene 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.