Gov. Phil Murphy on Tuesday said former campaign workers who claim they have been legally prohibited from talking about what they experienced during the gubernatorial race are free to speak their minds about workplace issues on the campaign.

In a statement that was released along with a letter from an attorney for the campaign to Julie Roginsky — a former key campaign advisor to Murphy — the governor said anyone who had been involved in the election effort was free to talk about alleged behavior on the 2017 political campaign.

“The campaign’s confidentiality policy had only one goal: to protect proprietary information. That’s been my position from day one,” Murphy said in his statement.

But the Democratic governor said “there has clearly been a misunderstanding on this, both in press reports and among certain people that have been associated with the campaign” regarding their obligations under the campaign’s non-disclosure agreements.

“I value anyone's right to come forward with any concerns over workplace issues, and I will now ensure that there is no doubt that our deeds match our words,” Murphy stated. “Although I've said it many times, I have directed lawyers from the campaign to make it clear to anyone that they are legally free to speak about workplace issues on the campaign.”

Roginsky, in an interview Sunday with Tom Moran, The Star Ledger‘s editorial page editor, said she had been repeatedly warned she could not speak about any aspect of the campaign.

“Right now, the governor is preventing me and other women from publicly exposing men in his campaign who created what I believe is the most toxic workplace environment I have ever seen in 25 years of working on political campaigns,” Roginsky said.

Roginsky worked for Murphy for nearly four years, before abruptly leaving his staff in July of 2017 as the campaign began to reach its climax. She told Moran there are people in the governor’s organization who have not only misrepresented but blatantly lied about the reasons for her departure.

“I’d like to present my side of the story,” she said. “Unlike the people who are looking to silence me, I have evidence, contemporaneous evidence, to back up my side of the story. This is not a he-said, she-said.”

In the wake of the governor’s statement, Roginsky on Tuesday acknowledged receiving the letter from the governor’s campaign attorney Paul Josephson. She had no immediate comment.

Several other women who worked on Murphy’s campaign have also said there was a “toxic environment” on the campaign. They say they have been afraid to speak publicly about it because of the legal documents they signed that barred them from discussing anything sensitive.

The campaign came under additional scrutiny after another former campaign staffer, Albert Alvarez, was accused of sexually assaulting a campaign supporter in April 2017. The supporter, Katie Brennan, revealed her story after law enforcement declined to prosecute the case. Alvarez later lost his job as chief of staff of the Schools Redevelopment Authority.

The governor has said previously workers could talk about workplace issues, even though he had required his staff to sign confidentiality agreements while he was running for office in 2017.

“Any employee on our campaign — either then, now, or always — has never been prohibited or blocked from raising any workplace conditions (or) concerns. That’s never been an issue. They could have done it. They can do it. That’s always been the case,” Murphy said following a press conference in November.

But Roginsky said she was subsequently told she was bound by her agreement.

In the letter from the governor’s campaign attorney on Tuesday, it was reiterated that she still could not speak about “proprietary information” related to Murphy for Governor organization. But Josephson said “if anyone — employees, volunteers or consultants — would like to discuss workplace issues on his campaign, she or he is free to speak about it publicly."

Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Facebook: @TedSherman.reporter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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