Peg Schaffer, the Somerset County Democratic chair and state Democratic vice chair, has withdrawn her nomination as a member of the New Jersey State Parole Board.
Schaffer changed her mind earlier today and turned down the $126,000-a-year job. That obviates any appearance of a conflict between hearing parole applications and her Democratic Party fundraising roles.
Gov. Phil Murphy had nominated Schaffer on November 20, and she had been expected to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday, but a scheduling conflict led to her not being included on the list. Former State Sen. Christopher Bateman (R-Branchburg) and Brian Woods, the chief of staff to State Sen. Latham Tiver (R-Southampton) and Assemblyman Michael Torrissi, Jr. (R-Hammonton), had also been nominated.
Her exit leaves another parole board seat available to Murphy before he leaves office next month.
Instead, Schaffer will remain on the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority. Justin Braz, who was nominated on December 4 to fill Schaffer’s seat, is expected to be shifted to another position.
Schaffer was named to replace Julio Marenco (D-North Bergen), who resigned in 2024 to become an assemblyman. Bateman replaces Thomas Haaf, a former Salem County GOP chairman, and Woods will take the seat of Hammonton attorney Kerry Cody.
