Assemblyman: Executive orders should be void if Gov. Murphy violates them

A Republican New Jersey assemblyman says that any executive order that Gov. Phil Murphy violates himself should be null and void.

News 12 Staff

Jun 12, 2020, 12:37 AM

Updated 1,638 days ago

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Assemblyman: Executive orders should be void if Gov. Murphy violates them
A Republican New Jersey assemblyman says that any executive order that Gov. Phil Murphy violates himself should be null and void.
Assemblyman Jay Webber introduced “Murphy’s Law” on Thursday.
“Quite simply, the bill says a governor’s violation of his own rule nullifies that rule for the rest of us,” Webber wrote on Twitter.
The governor has taken some flak for participating in two Black Lives Matter marches over the weekend, violating his own executive order that states large gatherings were not permitted in order to slow the spread of COVID-19.
After Murphy attended the weekend rallies, Webber sent a letter to New Jersey State Police Superintendent Col. Pat Callahan, asking if the governor would be issued a citation for violating the executive order.
“As you yourself have warned, ‘Because lives are at stake, enforcement action will be taken without hesitation against those who are blatantly placing the lives of others at risk,’” Webber wrote.
Murphy defended his actions and stated that he couldn’t imagine telling people who were marching to put an end to racism that they had to stay indoors. The governor also urged anyone who participates in a protest to get tested for COVID-19.
Following the weekend protests, Murphy lifted his stay-at-home executive order. He said that outdoor gatherings should be limited to 100 people, unless the gathering was protected by the First Amendment, such as for a protest or religious gathering, where there would not be a limit.
The governor said that this decision was not influenced by the criticism he faced for participating in the march.