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Murphy Prioritizes Criminals Over Veterans

December 31, 2020

Trenton– At his press conference yesterday, Governor Murphy announced that the brave residents of our state’s veterans homes in Vineland and Menlo Park would be vaccinated beginning shortly. According to reports, the Murphy Administration has already begun vaccinating inmates in at least one state prison.

Earlier this month the Murphy administration missed a paperwork deadline, resulting in a delay in vaccinating our state’s most vulnerable. Additionally, earlier this year Murphy ordered Covid-positive patients back into our nursing homes. Over 7,300 of our most vulnerable have died, and New Jersey leads the world in deaths per 100,000 residents.

NJGOP Chairman Michael Lavery said:

“It is unconscionable that Governor Murphy’s administration is vaccinating the convicted criminals in our prisons before the heroes in our state’s veteran homes. From the beginning of this crisis the Governor has failed to protect the veterans homes from Covid, has refused to share details of what, if any, actions he took to minimize spread, and just recently missed a deadline to get our state’s heroes and vulnerable vaccinated promptly. The Governor has failed the people who needed protection the most, and he should pay for this failure with his job next fall.”

Murphy’s Covid Failure Continues Unabated

December 22, 2020

Trenton– Two recent reports further confirmed the Murphy Administration’s continued failure to handle the Covid Crisis in New Jersey.

The Administration missed a deadline for filing paperwork, thereby delaying vaccination of our vulnerable long term care facility residents by a whole week.

Additionally, New Jersey is one of only two states withholding critical information from the public.

Chairman Michael Lavery issued the following statement:

“From the beginning, Governor Murphy’s response to Covid has been disastrous, and his administration has sought to hide critical details from the public. Whether it was sending Covid-positive patients into our nursing homes, failing to protect our veterans, or running a PR campaign instead of a public health campaign, the Governor made critical decisions that lead to further challenges for our state. Now we’re delayed another week on protecting our most vulnerable citizens, and the Governor won’t disclose critical information about who’s been paid with taxpayer funds during the crisis. The Governor’s failure on this critical issue has cost our state dearly, and will cost him his job in November.”

Murphy Hands Down Newest Round of Job-Killing Regulations on Struggling Restaurants

December 4, 2020

Murphy Hands Down Newest Round of Job-Killing Regulations on Struggling Restaurants

The Murphy Administration has declared that restaurants and other establishments with outdoor tents must apply for a Uniform Construction Codes permit by Monday.

Restaurants have been one of the hardest hit industries during the COVID pandemic. Governor Murphy is constantly changing requirements for the industry, including mandating 25% capacity for indoor dining.

“It is unconscionable that Governor Murphy continues to hand out new rounds of job-killing regulations on struggling industries,” said NJGOP Chairman Doug Steinhardt. “This is the least business friendly Governor in the history of New Jersey. When the COVID pandemic clears, the affordability crisis will be worse than ever thanks to Murphy’s weak leadership and selfish priorities. We must vote him out in 2021.”

Democrats Roll Out The “B” Team In Top Legislative Districts

December 4, 2020

Democrats Roll Out The “B” Team In Top Legislative Districts

According to reporting by New Jersey Globe, Senator Dawn Addiego will run for Senate in LD-8 and Assemblyman Andrew Zwicker will run for Senate in LD-16.

Republicans made their largest legislative gains in the 2019 Murphy Mid-Terms and LD-25 Republicans easily won re-election in a difficult political environment during the 2020 special legislative elections.

“Republicans have momentum and Democrats are rolling out the ‘B’ team,” said NJGOP Chairman Doug Steinhardt. “New Jersey sent a loud and clear message in 2019 that they wanted change, and Dawn Addiego and Andrew Zwicker are more of the same. Senator Addiego flipped parties to save her own skin, and immediately embraced the most liberal parts of the Democrat agenda. She wrote a law for a new income tax and linked arms with the likes of Andrew Zwicker to support record spending and borrowing. We look forward to replacing them with common sense Republicans.”

Steinhardt Tells Murphy To Disclose McKinsey Documents

December 2, 2020

Steinhardt Tells Murphy To Disclose McKinsey Documents

Over the weekend reports surfaced revealing that McKinsey, the taxpayer-funded consulting firm Governor Murphy hired to manage his public relations during COVID-19, has also been advising the disgraced pharmaceutical company, Purdue, to offer rebates for opioid overdoses.

Despite calling these reports “sickening”, Governor Murphy doubled down on his support for the work McKinsey is doing for his Administration.

NJGOP Chairman Doug Steinhardt has called on Murphy to cut ties with McKinsey and launched a petition to help with the effort.

Steinhardt has also raised questions about the actual public relations product this firm is providing to the Murphy Administration. Part of their proposal to Murphy describes their services as “developing a communications strategy on possible relaxation of restrictions.”

The NJGOP and Chairman Steinhardt have submitted an Open Public Records Act Request for all documents provided to the Murphy Administration by McKinsey as part of any communications strategy related to COVID-19.

“The people of New Jersey deserve to see what these spin doctors are cooking up for Phil Murphy,” said NJGOP Chairman Doug Steinhardt. “The Governor’s failed COVID policies have led to over 7,000 nursing home deaths and one third of small businesses shuttering. If his PR team gave Purdue a plan to boost opioid sales, who knows what they are telling our Governor under these circumstances. My hope is that the Murphy Administration will disclose these documents in a timely fashion and give New Jersey residents some semblance of confidence as we face this next wave of COVID.”

Steinhardt: Murphy Needs To Purge McKinsey

November 30, 2020

Steinhardt: Murphy Needs To Purge McKinsey

Breaking reports show that the taxpayer-funded consulting firm Governor Murphy hired to manage his public relations during COVID-19 has also been advising the disgraced pharmaceutical company, Purdue, to offer rebates for opioid overdoses.

Purdue pleaded guilty to three criminal charges, including impeding the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s efforts to combat the addiction crisis and paying illegal kickbacks to doctors.

These new reports show that McKinsey helped devise a plan to boost Purdue’s sales of opioids using dishonest public relations tactics at a time when thousands were losing their lives to overdoses.

Governor Murphy is paying the same professional PR spin firm $5.5 million taxpayer dollars to help coordinate his response to the coronavirus pandemic.

“Phil Murphy has been papering over his failed COVID response with a professionally backed effort by the same people promoting opioid sales,” said NJGOP Chairman Doug Steinhardt. “Murphy needs to drop these bad actors immediately and just as importantly come clean with the people of New Jersey. What are the straight facts on his plan to deal with the second wave of COVID? Families, small business owners and our most vulnerable population in nursing homes cannot afford another failed effort by this Administration.”

Steinhardt: Murphy Still Abusing CARES Act Funding While Small Businesses Struggle

November 23, 2020

Steinhardt: Murphy Still Abusing CARES Act Funding While Small Businesses Struggle

Trenton, NJ – On Friday, Governor Murphy said at a press conference that “N.J. would have ‘blood on our hands’ if we shut indoor dining, retail without stimulus money.”

Republicans continue to beat the drum that Murphy is clamoring for more stimulus money, but at the same time, abusing the initial $2.4 billion in grants received from the CARES Act.

Over the weekend, Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean and Assembly Republican Leader Jon Bramnick called for both houses of the New Jersey Legislature to hold a special session to redirect CARES act funding towards an emergency aid package to help small businesses impacted by COVID-19.

Governor Murphy’s 2021 State Budget uses $450 million of CARES Act funding on State employee salaries. Despite $4 billion in borrowing and a multi-billion surplus, Governor Murphy continues to abuse CARES Act funding and let small businesses struggle.

According to a report by the New Jersey State Auditor, barely 10% of the $2.4 billion of CARES Act money was deployed by the Murphy Administration as of September 30.

Since Governor Murphy received the CARES Act Funding, over 1.6 million New Jersey workers have filed unemployment claims and an untold number of small businesses have folded.

NJGOP Chairman Doug Steinhardt released the following statement:

“Nothing comes between Phil Murphy and his AOC style radical agenda, not even the well-being of struggling small businesses or frontline medical workers. Even Congress came together on the CARES Act without playing politics. But once that funding hit Governor Murphy’s bank account he used it for political stunts in election season and to fund his bloated state budget. Next time Phil Murphy complains about needing more federal funding, let’s all remember how he treated the CARES Act.”

Murphy Celebrates More Debt

November 21, 2020

Murphy Celebrates More Debt

Yesterday, Governor Murphy moved on $4B in borrowing to balance his bloated State budget.

The Murphy Administration celebrated their borrowing scheme by touting the “low” interest rates they received, ignoring (or simply not caring) that they are shackling generations of New Jerseyans with more debt.

NJGOP Chairman Doug Steinhardt issued the following statement:

“The Murphy administration celebrating it’s failure to spend responsibly proves just how out of touch with reality the Governor is. Instead of celebrating something meaningful, like a COVID plan that protects seniors, an economic plan that doesn’t kill the economy, or a spending plan that doesn’t break the bank, Murphy is celebrating securing a “low” interest rate, because he lacks the courage or financial discipline to make the kind of hard choices needed to protect taxpayers from billions more in debt. Murphy might be making his Wall Street cronies stronger and richer, but his bad decisions make New Jersey, and New Jerseyans, weaker and poorer.”

Murphy Fails To Protect Nursing Homes, Again

November 18, 2020

Murphy Fails To Protect Nursing Homes, Again

Throughout the covid crisis, the most jarring scenes of loss occurred in our state’s nursing and veterans homes and other long term care facilities. Recent reports indicate that outbreaks of Covid-19 in these facilities are skyrocketing yet again.

NJ nursing home outbreaks:
Oct. 19: 156
Oct. 26: 164
Oct. 28: 166
Nov. 5: 191
Nov. 9: 200
Nov. 16: 241

Governor Murphy’s Administration manages the State run veterans homes, where over 200 of New Jersey’s bravest perished, and has consistently withheld critical information on his actions to protect those facilities. He’s now under Department of Justice investigation.

NJGOP Chairman Doug Steinhardt issued the following statement:

“Governor Murphy ordered Covid-positive patients back into nursing homes and veterans homes around New Jersey, and over 7,200 of our most vulnerable died. It’s embarrassing but true, New Jersey has the highest death rate in the world. Now, the virus is back for round two and the Governor has failed again to stop the virus from entering our LTCF’s. His failure to recognize the unique vulnerability of these facilities and take measures to protect them reinforces what we all know; Phil Murphy isn’t up to the job of being Governor Murphy. Rather than learn from the carnage he created earlier this year in nursing homes across the State, it’s clear Murphy cares more about publicity than public health, puts insiders over average citizens, and prioritizes secrecy when we need sunlight. Governor Murphy’s handling of the covid crisis will be a dark stain on the history of our State, but thankfully, we can begin erasing when we vote Murphy out of office next November.”

Democrat Mayor Blames Murphy For Crime Surge

November 17, 2020

Democrat Mayor Blames Murphy For Crime Surge

According to a new report, Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh is blaming Governor Murphy’s early prisoner release program for the surge in gun crime. NorthJersey.com reports that more people have been shot in Paterson this year than at any other time in the past decade, according to city statistics.

NJGOP Chairman Doug Steinhardt published an Op-Ed earlier this year exposing the shocking increase in gun crime and Governor Murphy’s refusal to get tough on chronic criminals.

NJGOP Chairman Doug Steinhardt released this comment:

“Governor Murphy lied to New Jersey and released violent criminals into our neighborhoods. His weak leadership and bad judgment make our communities less safe and put our families at greater risk. Now, even members of his own Party are crying out publicly, condemning his policies and highlighting his failures. Governor Murphy’s radical, liberal agenda rewards criminals and threatens innocent New Jerseyans. His reckless, unreasonable and unsafe ideas must end. New Jersey deserves government with guts. It’s time for Phil to go.”