Ciattarelli slammed for going maskless at lakewood campaign stop
Murphy campaign takes offense to photo of Jack Ciattarelli in photo op shots sans-masks in Lakewood. Photo by the Lakewood Scoop.

Ciattarelli slammed for going maskless at Lakewood Campaign stop

Former New Jersey Republican Governor Chris Christie didn’t like wearing facemasks during the COVID-19 pandemic. That is until he became infected with the virus after spending time without masks around former President Donald J. Trump and his advisors.

After spending a week in the hospital, Christie came out a born-again mask wearer, urging New Jerseyans to not follow his lead.

Now, the man running for Governor against Phil Murphy is ignoring his pal Chris’s advice and Murphy’s campaign team is taking shots. When it came time for the photo-ops on his Facebook page, Ciattarelli put the mask on. When it came time to talk to influential playmakers in Lakewood, it was masks off.

In question is a photo published in the Lakewood Scoop. Ciattarelli was led around the city by Frank Holman GOP inside political power players Yankel Wenger and Israel Bernstein. In recent years the two have been the welcoming party for political candidates seeking to meet with influential residents, business owners, and playmakers in Lakewood.

Ciattarelli could face an uphill battle in Ocean County’s Republican stronghold for being an avid-never Trumper
Can Never-Trumper Ciattarelli Rally Trump Supporters to Defeat Phil Murphy in 2021?
• NJ GOP Candidate for Governor, Trump Antagonist Jack Ciattarelli Welcomes Joe Biden with Open Arms
Murphy slams Ciattarelli on the misogynistic attack against female supreme court nominee

Phil Murphy’s campaign manager took notice even though Ciattarelli did not share those photos with his fans.

“During a campaign stop in Lakewood on Monday, Republican gubernatorial candidate Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli refused to wear a mask while greeting employees at a bakery, joining the ranks of a dangerous, anti-science movement and putting public health at risk for a partisan photo-op,” said Jerrell Harvey Murphy’s campaign manager.

“Assemblyman Ciattarelli continues to make it clear that bolstering his own campaign is worth more to him than science and good decision-making,” said Murphy for Governor Spokesman Jerrel Harvey. “The Assemblyman plays by his own set of rules, and the personal responsibility demonstrated by New Jerseyans to save lives doesn’t apply to him. This cavalier approach to COVID-19 not only undermines public health but is flat out dangerous.”

Shore News Network

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.