NJ Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Named in Lawsuit.

The powerful chair of the New Jersey State Senate Judiciary Committee was named in a lawsuit filed this week by a woman who claims he was instrumental in her wrongful imprisonment. 

In his role leading the Judiciary Committee, Nicholas Scutari presides over the confirmation of state judges and prosecutors. He also leads the Union County Democratic Committee and served as the Linden town prosecutor until last year.

The lawsuit alleges he rarely showed up for the prosecutor’s job, allowing a rogue judge to send a Linden mother of three to jail over a petty dispute. WNYC has also obtained a letter from the mayor of Linden in which he asks federal prosecutors to investigate whether Scutari treated the municipal position as a no-show job. Scutari says he always showed up for work and hasn't seen the lawsuit.