Gurbir Singh Grewal, the Bergen County prosecutor, would be the first ever Sikh attorney general in New Jersey.
If Grewal's appointment is confirmed, he would also become the first Sikh to hold this position in the United States.
The governor-elect of New Jersey, Phil Murphy, on Tuesday announced nomination of Gurbir Singh Grewal for the position of attorney general.
Murphy Tweeted -“I am truly honored to nominate Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir Grewal to the position of Attorney General. If confirmed, he will be the first Sikh-American Attorney General in American history. Thank you, Gurbir, for accepting the call to serve NJ.”
Grewal said he was honored to be nominated and said he shared with Murphy
“To me, that means protecting the rights of every resident under the law, and defending the values of our diverse communities. I look forward to helping Governor-elect Murphy make his vision for New Jersey a reality.”
Grewal said his nomination represents the American Dream.
“The notion that regardless of what you look like, how you worship, where you come from, what your gender is, who you love, that if you’re willing to work hard, each of us will have the opportunity to achieve success and prosperity.”
New Jersey's current attorney general, Christopher Porrino has welcomed the announcement.
Source: Supplied
“Grewal is the kind of public servant who leaves his ego at the door & does the right thing for the right reasons,” Christopher Porrino tweeted on Tuesday.
“He’s smart, trustworthy and tenacious; qualities which will make him an extraordinarily successful AG. Looking forward to a smooth transition."
The Legislature will have to approve Grewal's appointment.
Grewal’s nomination is the second notable accomplishment of Sikhs in New Jersey, and in United States.
Last month, Ravinder Bhalla was elected mayor of Hoboken becoming the first Sikh to hold that office in New Jersey.
Meet the Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal
Gurbir S. Grewal was appointed as Acting Bergen County Prosecutor on January 4, 2016, and sworn in as Bergen County Prosecutor on November 14, 2016.
As Prosecutor, he is the chief law enforcement officer of Bergen County – the most populous county in New Jersey and home to nearly 1 million residents living in 70 municipalities.
Before becoming a federal prosecutor in New Jersey, Prosecutor Grewal also served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Criminal Division of the United States.
Prosecutor Grewal graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in 1995. He obtained his law degree from the College of William & Mary, Marshall-Wythe School of Law in 1999.
Grewal is a native of New Jersey, and currently resides in Glen Rock with his wife, Amrit, and their three daughters, Kyrpa, Mayher, and Mahek.
