TRENTON, N.J. – In an attempt to frame his criticism of Governor Phil Murphy’s nursing home meltdown that killed 8,000 residents, GOP gubernatorial frontrunner Jack Ciattarelli called for a 9/11 Commission-style inquiry on Monday to thorough investigate the issue.
“That 8,000 of our state’s seniors and veterans perished in isolation and secrecy – many with their families not finding out till days later – was tragic. Now those families and all New Jerseyans need to know whether it was a crime,” said Ciattarelli. “That is why today I am calling on legislative leaders in Trenton to form an independent, 9/11-style commission, with full subpoena power, to investigate this matter and provide complete transparency about what happened, why it happened, and to hold those responsible accountable for their actions.”
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A small avalanche of egregious mistakes have arisen over the past several months ranging from (1) early guidance from Trenton AGAINST mask use in facilities, (2) barring facilities from screening for COVID-19 positive admissions, and (3) a paperwork blunder that delayed vaccinations in nursing homes.
“Bridgegate was a disgrace and deserved investigation, but nobody died because of it,” added Ciattarelli, a former Somerset County assemblyman. “That Trenton Democrats were quick to issue subpoena powers to investigate that, but not this, reeks of partisan politics and cover up. The heroic actions of New York’s Attorney General to expose the lies of a Governor in her own party says something very powerful. It’s time for Attorney General Grewal to do his job and take action. If this nursing home scandal isn’t worth an investigation, what is?”
Ciattarelli’s call is directed at legislative action. The VFW has repeatedly demanded a special prosecutor to investigate what it’s described as a Murphy Administration cover-up of veterans home deaths. A grand jury is currently looking at the deaths at one particular facility in Paramus.
Meanwhile, the fate of a civil rights probe launched at the federal level is unclear under the Biden Administration.
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