SOMERVILLE, N.J. – NJGOP gubernatorial frontrunner Jack Ciattarelli called on Governor Phil Murphy to end some of his most onerous restrictions – indoor and outdoor gathering limits – by May 15th, a date two weeks out from Memorial
“In March 2020, Governor Murphy declared a State of Emergency and invoked his executive powers. Fourteen months later, he is still ruling by executive order and our school children, small businesses, and state economy are still suffering,” said Ciattarelli in a Wednesday statement. “It is past time for a new approach and bold leadership.”
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“Governor Murphy once claimed ‘data would determine dates.’ More than a year into this pandemic, however, he refuses to provide any clear reasoning behind his executive orders. He also fails to provide firm dates for the reopening of our economy and our lives,” continued Ciattarelli. “He has opened the doors to nursing homes, where our most vulnerable live and over 8,000 have died due to his negligence. At the same time, he has closed the doors to schools, where our least vulnerable learn and need to be full-time. The result has been a lost year for so many of our students, with gaps in education and mental health issues skyrocketing.”
Ciattarelli says he wants Murphy to do a few things before Memorial Day Weekend:
- End his emergency declaration
- End all indoor and outdoor gathering limits – as well as his outdoor mask mandate – by May 15th
- Restore bar seating
Ciattarelli stopped short of calling for an end to the indoor mask mandate; “while indoor mask requirements would continue in the short term, they should be eased or eliminated as vaccination rates rise,” explains the Ciattarelli campaign’s outline of its candidate vision.
Texas stands out as a state that has ended its mask mandate across the board and still seen cases drop to a significantly lower level than New Jersey.
Murphy’s rules have changed over time but restrictions have remained in place for over a year. General indoor gatherings are currently capped at 25 people by executive order while First Amendment-related activites are capped at 35% capacity of 150 people (whichever is less). Outdoor gatherings are limited to 200, and the Democrat Governor said earlier this week that he’s not ready to roll back his outdoor mask mandate which applies to situations where social distancing isn’t possible.
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