A New Jersey Senate committee has unanimously approved an ex-Assistant U.S. Attorney to be Republican Gov. Chris Christie’s attorney general, The Star-Ledger reported last night.

Paula Dow (gov)

The attorney general nominee, Paula Dow, a Democrat, was grilled by panel members for five hours before she was reported out of committee, according to the newspaper. The committee members questioned her on a proposal to curb witness intimidation, low pay for state prosecutors and her opposition to forcing out of office a councilwoman, who was convicted of obstruction of justice, The Star-Ledger said.

Senate floor action on Dow is expected on Feb. 22, according to New Jersey Newsroom.com.

On committee member, Democrat Nia Gill, grilled Dow extensively. Gill had held up Dow’s nomination as Essex County prosecutor for 20 months over Dow’s support for allowing Newark councilwoman Dana Rone to keep her job. Gill said Dow was improperly influenced by politics.

“I was not influenced,” Dow said during an hour-long discussion on the matter, adding that she didn’t even really like Rone, according to the newspaper. Dow had been Essex County’s prosecutor since 2003.

The attorney general nominee, who has been acting attorney general for the past two weeks, also pledged during the hearing to fight illegal gaming and violent crime in New Jersey, the Star-Ledger reported.

“It would be foolish of us to let down our guard,” she said, according to the newspaper. “Shame on us if we just turn our eyes and resources away.”

Dow previously worked for Christie in the New Jersey U.S. Attorney’s office, serving as counsel to the U.S. Attorney and working in the special prosecutions division and the criminal division. She was in the office from 1994 to 2003. The attorney general nominee also worked in the Southern District of New York U.S. Attorney’s Office from 1987 to 1994 and for Exxon for seven years.

Read more about her here.