Morris County Prosecutor Nominee Not on Agenda

The New Jersey Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to meet next Thursday, but Gov. Chris Christie's nominee for the next Morris County prosecutor is nowhere on the agenda.

Fredric Knapp, a Randolph resident and founding member of the law firm Knapp, Trimboli & Prusinowski in Florham Park, was nominated in June for the position, but the Senate Judiciary Committee has not yet considered the nomination.

"Since the Governor filed his nomination, it continues to languish in the Senate," Sean Conner, Christie's deputy press secretary, said in an email this week. "The Governor continues to fully support Mr. Knapp and hopes he will receive a fair, open hearing and an up or down vote."

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Nicholas Scutari would have to provide information on the delay in the confirmation process, Conner said.

Scutari has not yet responded to messages about the nomination.

Morris County Prosecutor Robert Bianchi continues to serve as prosecutor even though his five-year term technically ended June 22. On Monday, Bianchi said in court he is prepared to personally handle the prosecution of a man charged with vehicular homicide for allegedly crashing while intoxicated into a Mount Arlington police cruiser on Interstate 80 and killing Joseph Wargo, the officer inside.

Bianchi told the judge his status as prosecutor is "tenuous" and he will work to have a contingency plan for if he is replaced near the time of the trial, the Daily Record and The Star-Ledger reported.