Governor Phil Murphy is so broken up about his friend, the late Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver, that he’s decided to squeeze in a few more Italian vacation days before the funeral. Touching! The Senate President (Scutari) who hasn’t been elected statewide will once again take over the reins of state government.
On Thursday, I was the first media-type to question the circumstances surrounding Oliver’s death. Nothing has been announced publicly, and it’s an open question whether she’s been sick for some time – possibly even during the 2021 gubernatorial election when information concerning her health would’ve been relevant. I’ve since learned that Oliver, who led the Department of Community Affairs (DCA), wasn’t present at the May 16th Senate budget hearing for her department.
Why?
On Friday, Murphy – making a quick stop in the Garden State before jetting back to his overseas villa – took some questions from the press but refused to disclose anything regarding Oliver’s passing.
“Her health and her status was a private matter,” Murphy told the media, adding “I’ll leave the rest of her health status to her family.”
Of course that’s utter nonsense.
The health of our state’s second highest elected official is absolutely public information and relevant given the significant amount of time Murphy spends out of state both as a national Democrat leader, aspiring future national officeholder, and the owner of a palatial Italian vacation home.
Is there something we should’ve been told?
If we weren’t, then why weren’t we?
Did Nick Scutari and the legislature know?
And another thing: since when is medical information private? Phil Murphy sure didn’t feel that way during the pandemic! Whether he was mandating shots or announcing Covid victims’ bios, Murphy’s newfound respect for the privacy of patients feels… convenient.
I was medium-level suspicious before. Now I’m very suspicious.
