Joint Statement from Senator Gopal and Assemblywomen Donlon and Peterpaul on the Commutation of Maria Montalvo’s Prison Sentence

Sen. Vin Gopal speaking at the press conference with Sen. Linda Greenstein, and NJEA President Steve Beatty.

Our office strongly echoes the outrage and disgust expressed in the statement released by Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago on former Governor Murphy’s commutation of Maria Montalvo’s 100-year prison sentence.

Montalvo, who murdered her 18-month-old daughter and 28-month-old son, mercilessly dousing them in gasoline inside her car before setting it on fire, was unanimously convicted by a jury of her peers in 1996. Her horrific crime devastated her family and the Long Branch community including neighbors, first responders, and law enforcement. In the final hours of his term, former Governor Murphy prioritized his unchecked power to set her free. It is unfathomable how he could reach this conclusion.

What we have seen in recent years at the federal level has been an abuse of pardoning and commuting by both President Trump and former President Biden. This abuse now seems to have entered our State Government with an awful set of actions by the departing Governor.

Lobbyists have told the Wall Street Journal and other news outlets that fees of $1M are standard for “consulting” on federal pardons. Some would-be pardon recipients have offered fees of $6M for a successful application. We have seen the disgraceful pardons and commutations of violent offenders on January 6th, disgraced politicians like Rod Blagojevich and George Santos and even murderers like Terence Dale Sutton Jr. On the other side of the aisle, former President Joe Biden pardoned his son Hunter Biden after telling the American public he would not do that.

What about non-violent offenders who don’t have the wealth and means to hire a high-powered consultant or lobbyist?

The commutation of a woman who murdered her own innocent children should not go unnoticed. It is this type of action that undermines our criminal justice system and negatively impacts public trust. At a time when we are seeing a federal administration exploit executive power, New Jersey leadership must remain committed to serving the public welfare, not abusing power to sidestep our justice system. It is time for New Jersey to explore legislation removing politics from the pardoning and commutation process.

Senator Vin Gopal, a lifelong resident of Monmouth County elected in 2018, serves as Senate Majority Whip and Chair of the Senate Education Committee. Assemblywoman Dr. Margie Donlon, a practicing physician, serves on the Assembly Health and the Tourism, Gaming & the Arts Committees; Assemblywoman Luanne Peterpaul, Esq., serves on the Assembly Commerce, Economic Development & Agriculture, Aging and Human Services, and the Financial Institutions and Insurance Committees They represent residents of Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Bradley Beach, Colts Neck, Deal, Eatontown, Fair Haven, Freehold Borough, Freehold Township, Interlaken, Loch Arbour, Long Branch, Neptune City, Neptune Township, Ocean Township, Red Bank, Shrewsbury Borough, Shrewsbury Township, and Tinton Falls in the State Senate and State Assembly.