HOLMDEL, N.J. – One day after news of an ethics commission probe into N.J. Department of Health leaks was reported, an alleged health department whistleblower announced that he’s taking the Murphy Administration to court.
Former Assistant Commissioner Christopher Neuwirth, fired back on May 28, 2020 with considerable media fanfare, filed suit on Tuesday in Mercer County Superior Court.
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“Serving as the Assistant Commissioner for the New Jersey Department of Health, and as the state’s initial incident commander for the pandemic response, are two highlights of my professional career,” said Neuwirth who retained the Holmdel-based law firm of Smith Eibeler, LLC. “My focus was always on how to best serve our state and I am tremendously proud of the work my team and I accomplished, especially during the pandemic. To be retaliated against for doing exactly what state employees are instructed to do in their annual ethics training is simply incomprehensible. It’s hard for me to understand why my closest, trusted colleagues within DOH leadership, including the Commissioner and Chief of Staff, would treat me in such a callous and malicious manner — without ever once speaking to me about their concerns.”
Neuwirth says he was retaliated against after, as alleged by his attorneys’ press release, he was found out for “lodging a complaint to the State Ethics Commission concerning the conduct of two high ranking members of Governor Murphy’s administration, Acting Superintendent Colonel Patrick J. Callahan and Governor Murphy’s Chief of Staff, George Helmy.”
Neuwirth claims Callahan pressured him “to collect specimens of relatives of Mr. Helmy at their private residence for COVID-19 testing…”
“When Mr. Neuwirth lodged an ethics complaint for this instruction, the Ethics Liaison officer refused to process the complaint and implicitly threatened Mr. Neuwirth with criminal ramifications if he proceeded. DOH leadership then began to ostracize Mr. Neuwirth by excluding him from important COVID-19 response meetings, essentially stripping him of all decision-making duties and responsibilities, culminating in his termination on May 28, 2020.”
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Senior state officials ‘jumping line’ to get tested is a potentially explosive story particularly in light of the difficulty average citizens experienced throughout March, April, and even into May getting tested.
In the immediate aftermath of Neuwirth’s termination, state and regional media coverage focused on his purported poor performance and employment with a consulting firm: Margolis Healy and Associates, LLC.
“Folks are not – it’s par for the course that you’re not supposed to have another source of income,” said Murphy when asked about the firing.
Neuwirth believes the initial coverage was the product of a smear campaign. On Monday, a new report dropped suggesting Neuwirth was terminated in actuality because he was among those who the Murphy Administration believed were leaking COVID-19 response information to the media.
“Employees should never be terminated for complaining about governmental waste and abuse of power,” added Neuwirth’s attorney Christopher Eibeler. “The State has insinuated, in press statements and to various media outlets, that Mr. Neuwirth omitted to tell the State of his outside business activities, which could not be further from the truth. Mr. Neuwirth is a dedicated public servant, who was wrongfully terminated for rightfully speaking out against unethical governmental conduct.”
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