Attorney General Anne Milgram plans to leave her post early next year, regardless of the outcome of the gubernatorial election, sources say. If Gov. Jon Corzine wins re-election, Democratic sources say that Edward McBride, the Governor's Chief of Staff, will be on the short list to replace Milgram. Other possible candidates include: Corzine's Chief Counsel, William Castner; Seton Hall Law School Dean Patrick Hobbs; Kris Kolluri, the Executive Director of the state Schools Development Authority; state Comptroller Matthew Boxer; Public Advocate Ronald Chen; and Glenn Grant, the Acting Administrative Director of the state courts.
If Republican Christopher Christie wins, look for his Attorney General to come from the U.S. Department of Justice – maybe former Acting U.S. Attorney Ralph Marra. Hobbs could be on Christie's short list too, as well as Deborah Grammicioni, a former federal prosecutor who works for Milgram as Director of the state Division of Criminal Justice. Grammicioni would not be on Corzine's short list, Democratic sources say.