Paul and Vrabel won’t stand up to Murphy on nursing home transparency

To the Editor:

You could call it a tale of two states. After the Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, sent Covid patients into nursing and veterans’ homes – resulting in the deaths of thousands – the Democrats in that state called for an independent investigation. When the Governor insisted that he should be the one to investigate himself, New York Democrats demanded that he step aside. Apparently, that is not how it works in New Jersey.

As the latest press release of the Sussex County Democrat duo of Scott Paul and Mike Vrabel illustrates – in New Jersey, Democrats are a pack of apologists and “yes men.” They are too afraid to disturb Governor Phil Murphy’s easily ruffled feathers. In New Jersey, more than 8,000 blessed souls died because of Governor Murphy’s Executive Order 103, which was specifically cited by the state’s Health Commissioner when she ordered nursing and veterans’ homes to take in Covid patients. The directors of these long-term care facilities begged the state to reconsider and told them people would die – but the Murphy Administration carelessly plowed ahead. Cowards Paul and Vrabel are too frightened of Murphy to even mention those 8,000 deaths in the press release they issued today – a 700 word excuse letter on behalf of Murphy that seeks to justify his actions while arguing that the Murphy Administration should investigate itself. Does that make any sense at all?

Since last March, the Sussex County Board of Commissioners has requested information from the Murphy Administration to get to the bottom of what happened at long-term care facilities in Sussex County. Republican legislators, like Senator Steve Oroho, have tried to hold hearings in Trenton to determine why the Murphy Administration failed to protect New Jersey’s must vulnerable. Phil Murphy has stonewalled these requests for information and the Democrat-controlled Legislature has backed him by blocking open hearings. This isn’t New York. There is no transparency in New Jersey.

So, the Sussex County Commissioners are taking it to the people. Maybe if enough counties follow their example, the Governor and the Democrats who control the Legislature will get the message: The people want to know why New Jersey has the highest rate of nursing home deaths in America! Apparently, Paul and Vrabel don’t want to know. They don’t have the guts to challenge their fallen leader, Governor Murphy.

Jerry Scanlan, Chair

Sussex County GOP