Phil murphy vanishes amid statewide disaster emergency declaration

Phil Murphy Vanishes Amid Statewide Disaster Emergency Declaration

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1 min read
October 13, 2025

TRENTON, NJ – As a powerful nor’easter barrels toward New Jersey, bringing heavy rains, strong winds, and potential coastal flooding, residents are left wondering: Where is Governor Phil Murphy?

The Democratic governor is currently out of state – and out of the country – on a European vacation with his wife, Tammy Murphy, even as a state of emergency has been declared across all 21 counties.

The state of emergency was issued by Acting Governor Tahesha Way on Saturday, October 11, at 10:00 p.m., in preparation for the storm’s arrival.

The nor’easter is expected to impact the region through Monday, with warnings for coastal flooding, high winds, and possible power outages.

All counties are affected, and emergency management officials have urged residents to prepare for hazardous conditions.

Murphy’s office announced his travel plans in an email to reporters on October 8, stating he departed on October 9 and is not scheduled to return until October 15.

This marks another instance where the governor has been abroad during a critical time for the state, drawing sharp criticism from opponents who accuse him of prioritizing personal trips over leadership duties.

“You seem to disappear a lot,” one critic remarked, echoing sentiments from previous controversies surrounding Murphy’s absences.

Despite the backlash, Murphy’s camp has remained silent on the matter, offering no public comments on his whereabouts or plans to address the storm remotely.

The governor’s absence has left Lieutenant Governor Way to step in as acting governor, overseeing the state’s response to the weather event.

While New Jersey’s emergency protocols allow for such delegations, the timing has fueled debates about accountability and presence during crises; however, the governor has less than three months remaining in office.

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.

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