Michele Brown Resigns From U.S. Attorney's Office

Acting First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Brown resigned from the federal prosecutors office today because she does not "want to become a distraction from the critically important work" the office does, according to a report in the Star Ledger.

Brown and the U.S. Attorney's office have come under relentless attacks from the Corzine campaign since it was revealed that GOP gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie and his wife loaned Brown and her husband $46,000 when Brown was Christie's subordinate.

Christie issued the following statement about Brown:

"Michele Brown is a career prosecutor who has worked at the U.S. Attorney's office for 18 years, serving both Democratic and Republican presidents. Michele's long and distinguished record of public service is impressive, and during that time she's shown herself to be a fair and respected federal prosecutor among judges, adversaries and her peers. Her efforts have been instrumental to all the success the U.S. Attorney's office has had and her work ethic, determination and outstanding legal background will be missed by all those she has worked with over the years. I know Michele will continue to be a success at whatever she chooses for her next challenge."

LG candidate Kim Guadagno said,

"It is despicable that Jon Corzine has stooped so low to try to win re-election that he's aimed the negative attacks of his hired guns on a dedicated public servant who made it her life's mission to serve the people of New Jersey as a corruption-fighter. As candidates willingly running for office, we expect this kind of mudslinging, but we don't expect it to be aimed at someone who has made a career serving both Democrats and Republicans in the best interest of the public good. Jon Corzine should be ashamed that he has smeared a respected federal prosecutor's name and forced her to end an acclaimed career in the sole interest of scoring petty political points."

Senator Diane Allen said,

"Jon Corzine earned a reputation that he was willing to spend millions on negative attacks and play down and dirty in order to win. He has certainly lived up to that reputation with his most recent target - a career prosecutor who has made it her life's work to end New Jersey's culture of corruption. Apparently a nearly 20 year commitment serving the public doesn't matter to Jon Corzine if you are a means to his political end. It's shameful that a female prosecutor who has clearly proven her talent and ability to get the job done is no longer able to do the job she has done so well for nearly two decades."

Assemblywoman Charlotte Vandervalk said,

"As a woman who has fought for everything I've gotten in my career, I am outraged by Jon Corzine's malicious and targeted attack on a career prosecutor who has worked diligently to combat corruption in our state. I would say Jon Corzine should be ashamed of going after a woman who has more than proven her talent through hard work and dedication, but that would be giving him too much credit. It's a sad day in New Jersey when politics has reached this new kind of low and I am disheartened that an accomplished prosecutor who proved her mettle in the courtroom time and time again has been forced to resign."

Carla Katz said, "She only got $46,000, she's paying it back with interest and she gave up her job?"

Corzine's recently named campaign chairman, Congressman Frank Pallone, said he has tremendous admiration for Henry Waxman and Nancy Pelosi and that he will miss working closely with them when Corzine appoints him to the U.S. Senate.