LINDEN — On July 19, 2020, the son of Judge Esther Salas, Daniel Anderl, was shot and killed in their family home in North Brunswick by Roy Den Hollander. Den Hollander, a Manhattan lawyer and self-described antifeminist, had argued a civil rights suit before Salas in court.
Motivated by hate, he found the judge’s personal information, posed as a FedEx driver and rang the doorbell of the judge’s home, hoping to confront Salas. Instead, Den Hollander encountered her son, Daniel, and her husband, Mark, who was seriously wounded in the attack. Judge Salas was not injured. “There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t realize my job cost me the life of my only child,” said the U.S. District Court judge.
To help prevent this atrocity from ever happening again, on Nov. 20, 2020, Gov. Phil Murphy signed Daniel’s Law, P.L. 2020, c. 125, into law, which prohibits the disclosure of certain personal information of judges, prosecutors, law enforcement officers and their family members. Daniel’s Law has been a cornerstone in promoting safety and protection for our communities ever since.
“In light of its proven success, it is imperative to expand the purview of Daniel’s Law to include elected government officials, further bolstering its impact and effectiveness,” said Linden Mayor Derek Armstead.
“The current iteration of Daniel’s Law has demonstrated a laudable commitment to safeguarding the welfare of judges, prosecutors, law enforcement officers and their family members. It is now time to extend the provisions of Daniel’s Law to encompass elected government officials. The expansion will underscore our dedication to fostering a transparent and accountable government, ultimately fortifying the trust between citizens and their elected representatives. By holding public officials to the same standards of justice as the rest of society, we affirm our commitment to equality before the law.”
Expanding Daniel’s Law to include elected government officials will establish a powerful deterrent against corrupt practices and unethical conduct. This augmentation will not only bolster our democratic ideals but also ensure that the very individuals elected to govern benefit from the same type of protection. The collective effort will serve as a beacon of hope, promoting a society where everyone, regardless of position or influence, is protected.
“As we recognize the importance of justice and equality, the call to expand Daniel’s Law to include elected government officials has never been more compelling. By doing so, we can strengthen the fabric of our society, fostering a future where trust and accountability prevail,” Armstead said.