State Sen. M. Teresa Ruiz (D-Newark) won't comment on how Gov.-elect Chris Christie's choice for attorney general impacts thestate charges facing her husband, Freeholder Sammy Gonzalez, who was indicted earlier this month for ballot fraud inRuiz's 2007 senate campaign.
Butthe first term senatorsaid would "absolutely" support Essex County Prosecutor Paula Dow of Maplewood, who hasworkedat the county for six years, first assuming office as acting prosecutor in 2003 before Acting Gov. Richard Codey re-nominated her in 2005.
"Ithink it's a wonderful nomination and Ilook forward to officially working with her in that capacity(asattorney general)," said Ruiz, deputy chief of staff for Essex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo, who praised Dow's "work ethic and conviction."
A graduate of Franklin Marshall who received her law degree from the University of Pennsylvania, Dow served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office-District of New Jersey from 1994 to 2003, where she first knew Christie.
According to a release issue by the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, which handles aquarter of all criminalprosecutions in the state,she served as counsel to the U.S. Attorney and previously worked in the Special Prosecutions Division and the Criminal Division."Dow also served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office-Southern District of New York from 1987 to 1994, where she worked in the Civil Division. Prior to that, Dow was employed by the Exxon Corporation from 1980 to 1987 in Texas, New Jersey and New York, advising clients on environmental and labor matters."
