Matthew Platkin’s tenure as New Jersey’s Attorney General has been defined by confrontation—with corruption, consumer abuse, tech companies, and threats to public safety. A former campaign intern turned top legal advisor, he rose through the ranks to lead some of the state’s most high-profile investigations, push accountability among powerful interests, and champion protections for children navigating an increasingly digital world.
After four years serving under Governor Phil Murphy, that chapter officially closed this week. What comes next, at least personally, sounds refreshingly ordinary: staying in New Jersey and coaching baseball this spring. Professionally, however, the work continues. Gun safety, democracy, and social media regulation remain central to the causes he plans to pursue—this time without the title, but not without the urgency.
In a wide-ranging conversation on The Montclair Pod, he reflected on his path into public service, the unique pressures facing New Jersey, and the issues he’ll continue to engage with as a Montclair resident and parent.
🎧 The full conversation is available on this week’s episode of The Montclair Pod. Below is a summary of the interview.
Here’s a summary of our interview:
what does an attorney general actually do?
At its core, the role comes down to representation. Platkin described the attorney general as “the people’s lawyer,” emphasizing that the job is centered on protecting residents from harm. “I’m your attorney,” he said. “My job is to stand up and protect the public.”
In New Jersey, that mandate is broader than in many other states. The attorney general has essentially complete criminal jurisdiction, overseeing law enforcement, consumer protection, and civil rights. The office also regulates a wide range of industries—from boxing and alcohol to gambling—and oversees professional licensing for roughly 800,000 people, including doctors, nurses, psychologists, and cosmetologists.
Despite being an appointed, not elected, position, public input plays a critical role. Platkin stressed that responsiveness is not optional. Some of the most significant cases, he noted, begin with everyday conversations. New Jersey became the first state in the country to sue Discord after he heard disturbing details about online chat communities from a neighbor. “Some of our best cases start with someone telling us something,” he said, adding that even “a simple referral or a single call” can trigger meaningful action.
A focus on gun Violence
Of all the issues he tackled, reducing gun violence stands out as his proudest achievement—and the one that first drew him to public service. “We’re raising kids in a nation where guns are still the leading cause of death for kids,” he said, calling that reality unacceptable.
Under his tenure, New Jersey saw historic progress. The state recorded three consecutive years with the lowest gun violence levels ever reported. Before he took office, annual shootings had never dipped below 1,000. Last year, that number fell to 559.
Transparency and Accountability in Town
Living in Montclair—and raising children here—has shaped how Platkin thinks about public trust. While he recused himself from commenting on the town’s specific school district budget issues, he said he shares parents’ concerns and understands how uncertainty can corrode confidence.
“When you have an issue, the most important thing is to quickly assess the facts and be as transparent as possible,” he said. Prolonged ambiguity, he added, only invites more questions and undermines trust.
When misconduct arises in public institutions, the attorney general’s office has broad authority. Criminal fraud is taken seriously, but civil enforcement tools also play a role. Although the office does not conduct forensic audits, accountability matters whenever taxpayer dollars are involved. “If somebody’s ripping off the taxpayers, that’s not victimless,” he said.
Clarifying the state’s role, Platkin explained that while the attorney general legally represents the Department of Education, fiscal monitors fall outside his office’s oversight. Even then, any cost-cutting decisions remain bound by legal constraints, including desegregation mandates—an important nuance, he said, for residents trying to make informed decisions.
Drawing a line between incompetence and criminal behavior depends on facts, not optics. Some situations may look troubling without crossing legal thresholds; others may involve conduct that demands accountability. His approach, he said, has been consistent: rely on career professionals, apply the same standard to everyone, and let the facts guide the outcome—even when investigations move slowly.
Desegregation Challenges statewide
That fact-based lens also shapes how he views the Latino Action Network (LAN) lawsuit, which challenges New Jersey’s education system as unconstitutionally segregated. Filed earlier in the Murphy administration, the case positions towns like Montclair as part of a statewide issue, not isolated examples.
While the litigation continues, Platkin expressed strong support for magnet schools, calling them an important tool when designed well. “The magnet system as a whole, I’ve been a huge fan of it,” he said, pointing to its history of driving reform through legal pressure.
Speaking as both a former attorney general and a parent, he described magnet schools as empowering—offering families choice, ownership, and opportunity. His own family, he noted, has been “pretty happy so far.” Across the country, he added, vocational and technical magnets have become some of the most competitive and sought-after options. “I believe in our public school system,” he said, arguing that innovative academic environments are worth exploring even as legal debates continue.
Corruption and Reform
Few issues loom larger in New Jersey than corruption. Calling it one of the state’s most persistent challenges, Platkin made accountability a defining priority of his tenure. Last year, he launched the Trust Commission, bringing together experts and residents to explore reforms. The commission’s report, released last week, outlines steps the attorney general’s office can take internally while urging legislative action.
That commitment has come with backlash. High-profile cases—most notably the indictment of power broker George Norcross, now on appeal—have drawn personal attacks. Death threats, mailers, and false claims became part of the job. “I laugh at them,” he said, framing the work as fulfilling the mission of an office designed in 1970 to operate independently and without fear. Popularity, he added, was never the goal.
Everyday Impact
Some of the most tangible examples of that mission played out far from courtrooms. A complaint on a Montclair Facebook group about a miscalibrated scale at Whole Foods triggered a statewide investigation. Inspectors found 88 pricing errors and 308 underweight packages across 15 locations.
“It really bothers me when you’re paying for something and you’re not getting it,” Platkin said. From turkey to gas pumps, the Office of Weights and Measures applies what he called “serious science” to everyday essentials. Similar investigations have targeted Walmart, Dollar General, and other retailers—small actions with outsized impact for consumers.
Protecting Kids in a Digital World
Parents, he noted, are often the first to see emerging tech harms. That was the case with Discord, and later with TikTok and Meta. His office has pursued cases alleging that platforms knowingly design addictive experiences for children—paralleling earlier legal battles against tobacco and opioid companies.
He praised New Jersey’s recent ban on cell phones in K–12 schools as potentially transformative and pointed to AI chatbots as the next frontier. A bipartisan letter from 42 states urging AI companies to adopt child protections reflects growing urgency. Innovation matters, he said, but not at the expense of kids. “They shouldn’t be used as guinea pigs.”
Big Money, Big Influence
Unchecked political spending remains another concern. Dark money groups, automated ads, and scam-laden messaging distort democracy, he argued, creating structural advantages for incumbents. Platkin supports a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United, acknowledging that meaningful change takes time—just as it did with the 19th Amendment.
At the state level, he pointed to public financing models in New Jersey and New York City as ways to level the playing field. He also highlighted reforms he’s backed, including early voting, automatic voter registration, expanded vote-by-mail, and allowing 17-year-olds to vote in primaries if they’ll be 18 by the general election.
Rethinking Liquor Licenses
New Jersey’s liquor license system, he said, is outdated and uneven—prohibitively expensive in towns like Montclair, but cheap elsewhere. That imbalance hurts restaurants, already a high-risk business. One proposal he floated: a small local sales tax on alcohol sales for restaurants that opt into licensing, similar to cannabis taxes, potentially easing property tax pressure while making licenses more accessible.
On street safety, Platkin expressed skepticism about speeding cameras, citing evidentiary challenges and concerns about identifying drivers without relying on facial recognition—technology New Jersey has sharply limited. While speeding is a serious issue, enforcement must remain accurate and fair. He praised Montclair police for their work, noting the unique challenges of a busy, walkable town.
speeding cameras and street safety
When asked whether New Jersey should allow speeding cameras, Platkin said he is skeptical, citing evidentiary challenges and enforcement concerns. While cameras can be effective for tracking stolen vehicles and crime, issuing tickets solely based on camera footage can be legally complicated. He emphasized the difficulty of proving the driver’s identity and noted his reluctance to rely on facial recognition technology, which New Jersey has strictly limited due to its flaws.
Platkin acknowledged the seriousness of speeding on state streets and praised the Montclair Police Department for their traffic enforcement, calling their work “impressive” given the unique challenges of a busy town. He suggested that while technology may improve over time, enforcement must remain reliable and focused on holding the right person accountable.
