Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill nominated Dec. 15 law-enforcement veteran Jennifer Davenport to be the next attorney general of New Jersey.
Davenport, a lifelong resident of New Jersey and the mother of two daughters, has more than 15 years of law enforcement experience at the state and federal level.
“A strong Attorney General is critical to delivering for New Jerseyans, whether that is taking on price gougers, fighting for federal resources, or protecting our rights and freedoms. That’s why I’m excited to announce Jennifer Davenport as my Attorney General nominee,” said Sherrill in a statement.
“Working with Jen at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, I saw her ironclad commitment to upholding the law and the Constitution. Equally as powerful is her dedication to public service, working hand-in-hand with the communities she served to ensure our residents felt safe and supported. Jen’s ability to work with anyone and everyone to deliver for our residents and her decade and a half of experience with complex civil and criminal cases will be essential as we work to build a more affordable Garden State.”
Davenport served for four years in top roles at the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, serving as first assistant attorney general and principal law enforcement adviser. Davenport also served as the New Jersey commissioner on the Waterfront Commission, tackling corruption in the New York and New Jersey harbors.
After leaving the attorney general’s office in 2022, she joined PSEG and served as senior director-compliance and now serves as deputy general counsel and chief litigation counsel. She also served as division counsel to the New Jersey Division of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration and spent seven years as an assistant U.S. attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, where she was chief of the general crimes unit.
“The Attorney General’s Office plays a critical role in advancing the Governor-elect’s mission of keeping residents safe and making the state affordable, and I share her commitment to that mission,” said Davenport in a statement.
“I have spent my career in public service and alongside law enforcement, and in each role, I have worked to bring people together and solve the toughest problems facing our state. So, from taking on gun violence and human trafficking, to protecting our children, to ensuring affordability, to defending New Jerseyans from attacks out of Washington, I will build on my career in law enforcement and in public service to protect New Jerseyans every day.”
