TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy doesn’t have the time, or money to fix the state’s S2 funding system that is decimating education in dozens of districts statewide, but he has a seemingly unlimited warchest to file multiple lawsuits against President Donald J. Trump.
Murphy’s administration has been in full focus on anti-Trump lawfare in recent weeks, as dozens of school districts continue laying off teachers and closing many neighborhood schools.
“Districts are going to have to close some schools,” Murphy callously said of the situation last year.
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin has joined a coalition of 21 state attorneys general in challenging the Trump administration’s federal “buyout” directive, which they argue unlawfully pressures federal employees into resigning.
The policy, known as the “Fork in the Road” directive, was issued on Jan. 28, 2025, by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). It gave most federal workers until Feb. 6 to accept a “deferred resignation” offer, which would allow them to leave their jobs while retaining pay and benefits until Sept. 30, 2025. Opponents claim the directive implies that employees who refuse may face termination.
“Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s ‘buyout’ scam is nothing more than an attempt to intimidate public servants out of their jobs,” Platkin said.
New Jersey and other states filed an amicus brief supporting a lawsuit brought by several federal labor unions, including the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), AFGE Local 3707, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, and the National Association of Government Employees. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, argues that the directive is unlawful and contradicts federal ethics regulations.
On Feb. 6, 2025, U.S. District Judge George A. O’Toole, Jr. placed a temporary stay on the directive’s deadline until Feb. 10, when a hearing will take place in Boston.
The attorneys general argue that the directive could severely impact public services, including federal disaster response and veteran care, by forcing out essential workers. The coalition is urging the court to block the directive, citing its coercive nature and potential harm to both employees and the public.
New Jersey joins a multi-state legal battle against Trump’s push to cut federal jobs, calling it an unlawful attack on public workers.
