There wasn’t anything illegitimate about Elizabeth Muoio and Marlene Caride attending Gov. Phil Murphy’s first cabinet meeting, but they need to be careful. Both remain members of the State Assembly, and the New Jersey Constitution specifically prohibits legislators from serving in the other branches of government.
Muoio (D-Pennington) and Caride (D-Ridgefield) are not expected to resign their seats until they are confirmed by the Senate.
It’s not unusual for legislators to be named to executive branch positions or a judgeship, but typically they refrain from activities beyond the normal learning process until after the Senate confirms them – if for no other reason than one ought to never take the Senate for granted.