TRENTON, N.J. – The New Jersey Assembly’s Aging and Senior Services Committee will convene on Tuesday for a hearing on the Murphy Administration’s long-term care facility policies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Assemblyman Christopher DePhillips (R-40) says the lack of participation from health department officials is inexusable.
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“I am angry we are having this hearing today without a single live witness from the Department of Health to answer questions,” said DePhillips in a statement released prior to the beginning of the morning hearing.
“As legislators, we have the right and duty to question the department about what happened in our long-term care facilities, and why thousands of innocent souls were lost,” the Bergen legislator added. “Our constituents expect us to exert ourselves into this process and get answers to the many questions we all have. The Legislature is a co-equal branch of government, and this hearing should be the beginning not the end of this inquiry.”
6,324 of New Jersey’s 12,676 deaths attributed to coronavirus occurred in long-term care facilities. The Administration’s response to the disaster – including refusing to let facilities screen for positive cases – has come under increasing scrutiny.
Further complicating matters has been news reports of alleged Murphy Administration efforts to silence whistleblowers in addition to resistance to disclosing records sought by the media…
One of the criticisms of the state’s pandemic response was the distribution of PPE.
But it is shielding records on its supply because of terrorism concerns. Another example of Murphy failing to live up to his promise of transparency.
— Dustin Racioppi (@dracioppi) June 16, 2020
This has been a pattern from the beginning with the Murphy administration. Two years ago it cited terrroism concerns when @tatecurtis sought information about the safety of bridges. https://t.co/dCMsASaWCW
— Dustin Racioppi (@dracioppi) June 16, 2020
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