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.

Gov.-elect Chris Christie (R)

If New Jersey Gov.-elect Chris Christie (R) in fact had been considering appointing his controversial ally from the U.S. Attorney’s office in New Jersey, Ralph Marra, to be state attorney general, as previous reports indicated, he’s decided against it.

Christie will name Essex County, N.J., prosecutor Paula Dow (D) to the post today, The Associated Press reports. The New Jersey attorney general is an appointed position, not elected, but requires confirmation by the state Senate, which is controlled by Democrats.

Ralph Marra (Getty Images)

Marra recently returned to his First Assistant U.S. Attorney position after serving as acting U.S. Attorney, a post he assumed in December when Christie resigned to run for governor. Yesterday, Obama administration appointee Paul Fishman was sworn in as the state’s new U.S. Attorney.

During the campaign, Marra’s office was criticized by Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine’s campaign for foot-dragging on Freedom of Information Act requests about Christie’s tenure. In addition, the Justice Department launched an ethics probe of Marra for remarks he made at a news conference about a major public corruption sweep Chrthat Democrats said were intended to boost Christie politically.

Paula Dow (gov)

Dow previously worked with Christie in the 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. Before joining the New Jersey U.S. Attorney’s office, Dow worked in the Southern District of New York’s office from 1987 to 1994 and for Exxon for seven years.

Christie has already tapped two of his former subordinates from the U.S. Attorney’s office for his administration – Jeffrey S. Chiesa, who will be Christie’s chief counsel, and Kevin M. O’Dowd, who will be deputy chief counsel.

PolitickerNJ reports the former New Jersey U.S. Attorney will also appoint three other prosecutors to top posts. They are:

– Phillip Kwon, a deputy chief of the criminal division in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, as first assistant attorney general

– Marc Ferzan, a deputy chief of the criminal division in the U.S. Attorney’s office, as executive assistant attorney general

– Carolyn Murray, first assistant prosecutor in Essex County, N.J., as counsel to the attorney general.

UPDATE:  Christie during a noontime press conference made the nominations official, The Star-Ledger of New Jersey reports. In addition, the newspaper reports that Lt. Gov.-elect Kim Guadagno will also serve as secretary of state in the Christie administration. The lieutenant governor, which is a new position in New Jersey, may serve in duel roles in the administration except for attorney general. Guadagno was the deputy chief of the corruption unit for the U.S. Attorney’s Office from 1990 to 1998.