Ethics complaint filed against New Jersey AG over treatment of pro-life pregnancy centers

March 11, 2026

New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin and Chief Counsel Sundeep Iyer are facing an ethics complaint from a Washington D.C.-based non-governmental organization over the AG office’s investigation of pro-life pregnancy center.

The Christian Post reports that the Center to Advance Security in America (CASA) filed three complaints this week with the Office of Attorney Ethics of Trenton, New Jersey, and the Attorney Grievance Committee Supreme Court, Appellate Division First Judicial Department of New York.

The complaint focuses on oral arguments made by New Jersey before the U.S. Supreme Court last December in the case of First Choice Women’s Resource Centers, Inc. v. Matthew J. Platkin, Attorney General of New Jersey.

That case hinged on whether New Jersey could force First Choice, which operates a network of pro-life pregnancy centers in the state, to disclose its donor lists and other information about supporters under threat of legal penalties.

During oral arguments, Justice Clarence Thomas questioned Iyer about whether the state attorney general’s office had “complaints that formed the basis of your concern about the fundraising activities” of First Choice.

Iyer responded, that “we haven’t had complaints about this specific crisis pregnancy center” but claimed that state and federal governments “initiate investigations all the time in the absence of complaints where they have a reason to suspect that there could be potential issues of legal compliance.”

Iyer is accused of possibly violating the Rules of Professional Conduct for New Jersey and New York, while Platkin was accused of possibly violating the New Jersey Rules of Professional Conduct.

One of the complaints sent to OAE of New Jersey states: “Platkin and Iyer decided to investigate a pregnancy care center for no apparent reason other than a general suspicion that pregnancy care centers operate incorrectly. No complaints led to the investigation, yet they chose to probe into the organization and its donors.”

According to the Christian Post, the Supreme Court has not yet issued a decision in First Choice v. Platkin, though it is expected to do so by the end of June.  

Photo: top, Credit: YouTube/New Jersey OAG