Sikh American Nominated as State Attorney General in U.S.

New Jersey Governor-elect Phil Murphy on Dec. 13 chose Gurbir S Grewal as his nominee to act as the next Attorney General of the state.

“I am truly honored to nominate Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir Grewal to the position of Attorney General,” Murphy said. “If confirmed, he will be the first Sikh-American Attorney General in American history.”

I am truly honored to nominate Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir Grewal to the position of Attorney General. If confirmed, he will be the first Sikh-American Attorney General in American history. Thank you, Gurbir, for accepting the call to serve NJ. pic.twitter.com/I33xdlGqPA

— Phil Murphy (@PhilMurphyNJ) December 12, 2017

Hoboken Mayor-elect Ravinder Bhalla, a fellow lawyer and Grewal’s childhood friend, offered congratulations. “The governor-elect has picked a highly qualified professional in Grewal,” Bhalla told ROI-NJ website. “Grewal’s qualifications are impeccable. I am happy that the governor-elect decided to appoint someone based on the merits.”

Congratulations to the Bergen County Prosecutor, Gurbir Grewal on this historic appointment. I know you will serve New Jersey very well. https://t.co/vgyTGoIi7Q

— Ravinder S. Bhalla (@RaviBhalla) December 12, 2017

Grewal’s appointment is seen as being in line with the administration’s campaign promise to reflect the demographics of the state.

With most of his legal career spent in public service, Grewal is the current Bergen County prosecutor. His office, which has staff strength of 265, works for the most populous county in New Jersey. He served as Assistant U.S. Attorney in New York from 2004 to 2007 and New Jersey from 2010 to 2016.

Grewal graduated from the College of William & Mary, Marshall-Wythe School of Law in 1999. He has worked with clients on a range of matters including securities, trademark, antitrust and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act issues.

“The decision to appoint a visible minority as the chief law enforcement officer for New Jersey reflects the diversity of the state and of the U.S, and is especially important in a time where minorities and immigrants have often felt targeted by law enforcement,” South Asian Bar Association (SABA) president Rishi Bagga said in a statement.

“Gurbir has been an active member and supporter of SABA-NJ for years. We really applaud his accomplishments and are extremely proud to see him be chosen for this honor. It does show Governor-elect Murphy’s dedication to the South Asian community,” SABA’s New Jersey president Bhaveen Jani was quoted as saying in the statement.

Grewal has also been president of SABA New York and served as a member of the New Jersey Asian Pacific American lawyers Association.

“The appointment of Gurbir Grewal is another landmark moment for the Sikh-American community,” Sim Singh, the Sikh Coalition national advocacy manager, told the ROI-NJ website. “While breaking down barriers for the next generation of Sikh leaders, he is reminding all Americans that diversity is our nation’s greatest strength.”