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Chugh issue: NJ Governor's office admits mistake

Suleman Din in New York

The office of New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey clarified on Wednesday that it sent a press release to rediff.com and other Indian publications on January 17, mistakenly stating that New York businessman 'Roger' Rajesh Chugh was named to the office of assistant secretary of state.

Governor's office spokesman, Paul Aronsohn, took responsibility for the release.

"It was a minor mistake," Aronsohn said, whose name was on the original press release as the contact for media inquiries.

Lizette Delgado, not Chugh, currently holds the position of assistant secretary of state.

Chugh was named to the newly created $84,000-a-year position of assistant commissioner.

"[Chugh's] an important member of this administration, it's a senior position, he works very closely with the secretary of state," Aronsohn said.

"The press release in question [talks] about two of the governor's appointments, two appointments that we're proud of, that we stand behind, two very important positions in the government," he said.

Along with Chugh, the release also spoke of the appointment of another Indian-American, Seema Singh, to the office of public advocate.

Aronsohn said that soon after the release was sent out, the governor's office realised the mistake about Chugh's title.

Asked as to why there was no follow-up press release to clarify Chugh's position with the administration, Aronsohn was dismissive.

"It [wasn't] a big deal," he said.

"If he had not been appointed to a job, that's one thing," Aronsohn said.

"[Or] if he wasn't appointed to that division of the state government, that's another big deal. This is not a big deal [the mix-up of positions]. It is a semantical difference," he said

Critics of the McGreevey administration asked why the January 17 release was only sent to a few Indian American news organisations in New York and New Jersey, and not to mainstream publications.

"We would have to question why he didn't send this press release to members of the New Jersey press corps," Assembly Republican Leader Paul DiGaetano said in a statement.

Aronsohn admitted the oversight on the part of his office.

"We're sorry we didn't send it out [the release] more widely, we will be more careful in the future," he said.

Aronsohn resented any suggestion that someone else could have doctored the January 17 press release to misguide the media.

"Questioning the validity of something that goes out under my governor's name, and the great seal of the state of New Jersey, that I have the problem with," he said.

However, questions remained about claims made by Chugh about his position with the administration to the Indian media and on his own website.

A number of Indian publications carried stories that quoted Chugh as saying he was assistant secretary of state -- though he wasn't -- and having responsibilities not officially outlined for him.

In one such interview on January 25 with Bangalore's Deccan Herald newspaper, Chugh said, "New Jersey is ready to offer all technology and expertise to any Indian state provided they approach us with concrete proposals. Governor James E McGreevey... has given me the responsibility of exploring whether this relationship can be upgraded to be with New Jersey so that more benefits can accrue to them."

Chugh continued, "New Jersey can offer lots of technology transfer, pollution control expertise and garbage management methods to Indian states if they approach us. I will make sure all such helps are extended to whoever is interested."

Government officials told rediff.com that Chugh had no such responsibilities.

Aronsohn explained Chugh's position deals primarily with ethnic outreach in New Jersey. Among his roles will be overseeing the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority, the Commission on American Indian Affairs, the Asian-Pacific American Advisory council, and the Diversity Commission.

Also, on his personal web site www.rogerchugh.com (which has been taken down since it was first reported about in the Star Ledger newspaper) Chugh claimed he was the 'First Assistant Secretary of the State of New Jersey,' a position New Jersey officials said does not exist.

Chugh made another widely published claim, that he is the current 'Chairman of National Conference of Asian Americans for Political Awareness.'

The description is also included in the January 17 press release. No one knew of such a group, Indian Americans in New Jersey said, except from what they had heard from Chugh.

Aronsohn refused to comment on the reports in the Indian media.

"You're asking me to accept what's written in newspapers, supposedly quoting him as the truth, and I'm not going to go there," he said.

Aronsohn said that the Governor's office wasn't going to look into Chugh's background.

"I don't see a need for that," Aronsohn said. "He's a hard-working member of this administration."

Chugh, 47, said that he did not want to discuss the matter. Earlier, he told rediff.com that he was the target of a Republican smear campaign, but did not elaborate on his accusations.

"I have no opinion," he said. "Whatever they [the Governor's office] told you, that's where I stand."

He repeated this answer when asked if the Indian press had misquoted him about his role and duties with the administration.

"I am not giving you any comments," he said.

Sources said that the secretary of state's office would ensure that positions and responsibilities would not be misunderstood in the future.

Chugh first came under scrutiny when mainstream New Jersey newspapers ran stories that poked fun of his personal web site, which is currently under construction.

"As you need to update your wardrobe periodically, our site is also being updated with current information," it reads.

Before it was pulled down, the Star Ledger said Chugh's web site read 'like something out of the personals'.

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