Can Governor Murphy really ban someone from New Jersey?

At this point, we know that Governor Murphy‘s power has gone unchecked by Democrats in the legislature who simply refuse to pass a law that would curtail his insidious executive orders from being extended indefinitely.

So now, not only is he one of the most powerful Governors in the country, but in response to people who were not following his executive orders, he implied that he could actually bar them from entering the state.

Much fuss was made when U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican, attended a New York young Republicans party in Jersey City with a group who appeared to eschew Murphy’s COVID 19 orders. This provoked an incensed Governor Murphy to mock him and refer to him, adorably, as Matt “Putz.” Which sounds like Gaetz. Kinda.

Further, he appeared to banish him from the state permanently, proclaiming, "You are not welcome in New Jersey....and frankly I don’t ever want you back in this state,” according to an article in the LA Times.

But can a Governor say, to anyone, “You’re barred from entering my state,” like a CVS store bans a customer who’s been caught shoplifting?

I don’t know that the Governor has the power to effectively to do this, but the problem is, with the unchecked power he’s been given, I do think HE thinks he can.

He has made statements before that make it sound like he believes New Jersey is one of his many very expensive personal possessions. After all, he did buy us! Ironically, that’s the kind of statement that Donald Trump would make about people from countries with nefarious intentions coming into the United States and OH EM GEE!!! would people get angry about that!

With the kind of power Phil Murphy has given himself and the legislature has breezily embraced, perhaps it’s possible he CAN "Ban the Putz." And with a couple easy tweaks of his executive order, maybe he can ban anyone who doesn’t agree with him about anything.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Judi Franco. Any opinions expressed are Judi’s own.