NJ truck driver elected to Legislature slams troop deployment

One New Jersey lawmaker is not pleased with Gov. Phil Murphy's plan to send New Jersey National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., for a peaceful rally planned by truck drivers.

State Sen. Edward Durr, R-Gloucester, said this is a waste of resources when many state services remain inaccessible to New Jerseyans.

"A peaceful truck rally in Washington is where Gov. Murphy thinks he should dedicate state resources while unemployment offices remain closed, the MVC is still a mess, and thousands of corrections officers and health care professionals are on the verge of losing their jobs due to unnecessary vaccine mandates," Durr, a career truck driver, said.

He said he finds this is just another example of Murphy focusing on Washington instead of helping the people of New Jersey. Durr went so far as to call the move, offensive.

The Murphy administration announced that more than 100 troops from New Jersey's National Guard will be sent to the nation's capital in advance of the planned truck convoy, which has been protesting the COVID-19 mandates.

"The governor may have reveled in the images of peaceful protesters being hauled off to jail in an authoritarian manner by Justin Trudeau in Canada, but that's not how we do things in the United States. If Gov. Murphy wants to be president, he should know that," Durr added.

Jen Ursillo is a reporter and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach her at jennifer.ursillo@townsquaremedia.com

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