the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Hackensack NJ, former Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli is speaking out after being publicly criticized by the New Jersey State Policemen’s Benevolent Association (PBA) for his support of restoring Daniel’s Law to its original form.
Molinelli, now serving as the spokesperson for the newly formed Public Safety Information Protection Coalition (PSIPC), responded to a letter from the PBA that accused the coalition of prioritizing corporate profits over the safety of law enforcement officers.
Daniel’s Law: A Brief Background
Daniel’s Law, enacted in 2020, was named after Daniel Anderl, the son of U.S. District Judge Esther Salas, who was tragically killed by a disgruntled attorney. The law aims to protect judges, police officers, and other public servants by allowing them to request the removal of their home addresses and personal contact information from public websites.
In 2023, however, the law was amended—changes that Molinelli and the PSIPC are pushing to reverse.
Molinelli Criticizes Amendments and PBA Partnership with Atlas
Molinelli accused Atlas Data Privacy Corporation, a third-party company contracted to scrub personal data from websites, of pushing for self-serving amendments that allegedly harm businesses while benefiting from predatory lawsuits.
“These changes allowed third parties to act on behalf of covered individuals without proper authentication and mandated automatic damages for noncompliance,” Molinelli said, calling it a dangerous shift.
He further claimed that Atlas partnered with the NJ PBA, resulting in mass data takedown requests and subsequent lawsuits against over 140 businesses, totaling more than $2.6 billion in claims.
PBA Defends Law Enforcement Privacy
PBA President Peter Andreyev defended the organization’s stance, saying that companies refusing to comply with Daniel’s Law pose a risk to officers and their families.
“Public servants are still being targeted at home. Companies who ignore these privacy protections are risking lives just to protect their bottom line,” said Andreyev.
Legal and Constitutional Challenges Mount
The controversy surrounding the amendments intensified when a judge ruled in November that the mandatory damages clause was unconstitutional. Now, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is set to hear arguments in a constitutional challenge to the law itself.
Molinelli emphasized the seriousness of protecting public servants:
“As someone who has been personally targeted, I can tell you the threats are real and chilling.”
Coalition Denies Corporate Ties, Calls for Productive Dialogue
In response to claims that the coalition is backed by groups like the Association of National Advertisers and the Consumer Data Industry Association, Molinelli said:
“I can tell you unequivocally that they are not PSIPC members.”
He invited the PBA to work collaboratively:
“Demonizing people and companies only distracts from solving real issues. We owe it to public servants to ensure Daniel’s Law truly protects them.”
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