New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has named a longtime insurance industry executive to head Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, (CRDA), a state agency that uses casino funds to help develop Atlantic City and other parts of the state.
Sean Pattwell was appointed CRDA executive director last week and unanimously approved for the job by the CRDA’s board of directors. He replaces Monica de los Rios, who served as interim executive director when Matthew Doherty stepped down in January.
According to Newsbreak, public records show Pattwell is a regular contributor to Democratic politicians, with reports posted by New Jersey’s Election Law Enforcement Commission showing more than $60,000 in contributions since 2001. That includes two contributions to Murphy’s reelection campaign: a $4,900 contribution in December 2020 and a $4,900 contribution in July 2021.
CRDA funds comes from payments that casinos are required to make toward projects to benefit the city. Those payments used to be disbursed to projects across the state but have recently been targeted for Atlantic City. The agency also shares some planning and zoning authority with the city, particularly on large projects.
