It’s the kind of optics no politician would appreciate, particularly one who tries to portray himself as a progressive man of the people.
As snowbound commuters spent the night sleeping in cars on gridlocked roads and school children were stranded on buses because of the state’s failure to respond to a routine snowstorm Thursday, Gov. Phil Murphy and his wife were at a high-end restaurant in Middletown after he spent the day at a political event in Atlantic City, according to reports.
Murphy and state officials have blamed the state’s dismal response to the snowstorm on bad forecasts and have said that people should have left work early to avoid messy roads. Murphy, a millionaire from his time at Goldman Sachs, has not apologized for the state’s failure to prepare roads ahead of the storm or adequately clear them once the snow and sleet began falling.
Meteorologists had predicted tough commuting conditions early in the week and continued updating their forecasts as the storm intensified Thursday.
Murphy’s office has worked to make it clear that the governor, too, got stuck in traffic during the storm and did visit a state traffic management center before heading off to enjoy his meal.
Quote of the Day: “We’re going with the law. That what’s the law says,’’ — Board of Public Utilities President Joseph Fiordaliso, claiming the board must require New Jersey ratepayers to provide $300 million in subsidies to prop up nuclear power plants in New Jersey and other states if plant operators need any financial assistance.
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Bear Hunt Protester Bill Crain Headed Back to Jail
Bill Crain’s willingness to break the law in order to protest New Jersey’s bear hunt on Tuesday earned him a third trip to jail, when a judge sentenced him to 20 days for his latest act of civil disobedience during the October bow hunt.
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Public Speaks Out on Proposed Jersey City Payroll Tax
Hundreds of people filled the City Council’s chambers on Tuesday night to urge the council to pass a payroll tax that is intended to fill a yawning budget gap facing the city’s public school system.
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