Murphy shuns mask while mandating 2-year-olds wear them (Opinion)

Kudos to SaveJersey.com for publishing all the screenshots from the recent Equality Ball because the Essex County Education Association deleted them from their social media.

They showed Gov. Phil Murphy and other officials like Rep. Frank Pallone, acting Attorney General Andrew Bruck and damn near everyone else at this indoor event going maskless.

This event took place at Asbury Lanes in a county with the kind of high rate of COVID-19 that the CDC strongly urges should be met with mask-wearing. The governor, who always brags about “following the science” certainly didn’t follow it here. Nor did anyone else it seems from the pics.

Jack Ciattarelli, the Republican challenger for governor, did a yeoman’s job of bringing it up in Tuesday’s debate only to have Murphy arrogantly dismiss the entire thing. Murphy’s you-don’t-wear-masks-on-stage defense was nonsense. Murphy was complicit in taking part in a long night at a crowded indoor event that almost entirely shunned mask-wearing. Photo-ops were posed for, arms around shoulders, close contact, no masks. See for yourself here.

Now I’m not writing this from the point of one of those who dismiss science and falsely claim masks do nothing to slow the spread. Dozens of peer-reviewed studies confirm they do in fact work and it’s considered settled science.

No, I’m writing this from the point of how dare Murphy be such a hypocrite? He has mandated all school teachers and school students wear masks. He’s even mandated children as young as 2 wear masks in daycare.

Yet he and his cronies wouldn’t wear them? This emperor not only wears no mask but wears no clothes.

The event will pride itself on pointing out that those who attended needed to show proof of vaccination or proof of a negative COVID test. As if this doesn’t make Murphy a hypocrite.

Teachers are required to be vaccinated or be tested at least weekly. And guess what? They STILL are required to wear masks.

Sorry Murphy, there’s no fast-talking your way out of this. If you didn’t do anything wrong and those in your universe agree, then why did the Union suddenly delete those pictures? You’re a hollow leader who showed the ultimate hypocrisy by your actions.

Just like last year after the tragic killing of George Floyd when, at the same time your executive orders told common New Jerseyans they were not allowed to gather in large crowds, even outdoors, you went ahead and joined in two Black Lives Matter demonstrations violating your own social distancing rules.

You’re a joke. You’re a hypocrite. You’re a bad leader.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski. Any opinions expressed are Jeff Deminski's own.