TRENTON, NJ – New Jersey’s vaccinated masses are now being held hostage by Governor Phil Murphy and his Democrat allies in the New Jersey legislature. Governor Phil Murphy has said he will let New Jersey residents unmask, per CDC guidelines, but not until the legislature meets his demands to extend his autonomous power beyond the declared health state of emergency. Those demands include extending his emergency powers until 2022.
The current health driven state of emergency is scheduled to expire in June and Murphy has signaled that he’s willing to let it expire and allow New Jerseyans to unmask and business to get back to normal, but only if the legislature grants him the power to continue his overreaching authority once that emergency period expires.
Obliging the governor in his demands is New Jersey Democrat Craig Coughlin who has introduced Bill A5777 which has now passed a second reading and will grant Phil Murphy to extend his executive orders through legislative approval once the governor’s emergency powers cease. Right now those powers will run through the end of his term in office, but can also be extended by the Democrat controlled legislature.
Essentially, A5777 will give the governor indefinite emergency powers that expire only when he says they do. It will allow the governor to enforce mask mandates in public and in the state’s school system. It will retain emergency powers enforcement powers against residents and businesses.
“The bill specifies that the termination of the public health emergency declared by the Governor in Executive Order No. 103 of 2020, as extended, will in no way diminish, limit, or impair the powers of the Governor or the head of a State agency pursuant to the provisions of the civilian defense and disaster control act P.L.1942, c.251 (C.App.A:9-33 et seq.). The state of emergency declared in Executive Order No. 103 of 2020 pursuant to that law will remain in effect until terminated by the Governor,” Coughlin’s bill reads.
New Jersey Republican Senator Michael Doherty condemned the reckless bill and Murphy’s action of holding New Jersey residents hostage unless the bill is approved.
“It’s ridiculous that New Jerseyans are the last people in America subject to pointless mask mandates that King Murphy refuses to eliminate,” said Doherty (R-23). “The governor has been allowed to act like a king because legislative Democrats have refused any effort to hold him accountable for his lunacy. Their new bill rubberstamping his executive orders until 2022 looks more like Stockholm syndrome than true oversight by a supposedly co-equal branch of government. It’s sad, not just for Democrats, but for every New Jersey resident who will continue to suffer due to their lack of leadership.”
New Jersey senator Steve Oroho said the bill ends Murphy’s pandemic powers in name only.
“Frankly, this legislation has to be some kind of joke,” said Oroho (R-24). “It ends the public health emergency in name only while allowing Governor Murphy to perpetuate until 2022 executive orders and unnecessary restrictions that should no longer be valid once the public health emergency has ended. Democrats shouldn’t try to fool people with this sleight of hand. We should end this nonsense immediately and rescind all of the overbearing executive orders as we’ve demanded for months.”
Even shore Assemblyman Greg P. McGuckin who once backed Murphy’s executive orders by introducing $15,000 fines against residents who disobey them said enough is enough.
“Frankly, it’s disappointing. The bill voted on in the Assembly Appropriations Committee this week is not as advertised,” said Assemblyman McGuckin who proposed $15,000 fines against New Jersey residents assembling during the holidays and penalize residents who defied Murphy’s orders. “The Democrats are playing a shell game that portends to abolish the health emergency and Murphy’s thirst for unilateral authority. In actuality this bill would perpetuate the power grab and passively acquiesce to the governor’s desire for autonomy from the elected Legislature.
Here are some of the executive orders that will remain active if A5777 is approved by the Assembly:
Executive Order No. 106 (2020) – Foreclosure Moratorium – Any lessee, tenant, homeowner or any other person shall not be removed from a residential property as the result of an eviction or foreclosure proceeding.
Executive Order No. 111 (2020) – Order to healthcare facilities mandating they report all health data to the state each morning by 10 am.
Executive Order No. 112 (2020) – Order to allow retired medical professionals and those whose licenses expired to continue practicing medicine.
Executive Order No. 123 (2020) – Prohibits Insurance companies from canceling health and life insurance policies during 30 to 60 day grace periods.
Executive Order No. 192 (2020) – An executive order mandating face mask requirements for New Jersey employers.
Executive Order No. 207 (2020) – Allows the state to maintain a public health database that tracks who is and who is not vaccinated.
Executive Order No. 229 (2021) – Prohibits utility companies from shutting off gas, electric or other services for non-payment.
Executive Order No. 233 (2021) – Restricts creditors from garnishing wages in certain cases and taking action against those late on their bills.
Executive Order No. 237 (2021) – Allows for the resumption of youth day and overnight camps and sets forth legal guidelines for health compliance, mask wearing, reporting, etc. for those agencies.