Three Republican lawyers working at the New Jersey Turnpike Authority have filed a civil rights lawsuit accusing Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration of firing them because of their political affiliation.

The lawyers were hired during Gov. Chris Christie’s administration and spent their days on routine tasks such as drafting real estate contracts rather than formulating policy, the suit claims. But soon after Murphy took office in January 2018, he installed Diane Scaccetti as acting commissioner of the Turnpike Authority, and she “initiated a partisan, vengeful plan to oust all NJTA law department employees who were Republican and/or perceived supporters of former Governor Chris Christie, regardless of employment level,” the suit claims.