NJ State Police Stand Down as GOP Legislators enter NJ statehouse Without Showing Vaccination Proof

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ, Matt Friedman of Politico NJ observed , “Speaker ordered a security sweep of the chamber but most of the GOP lawmakers on the floor wouldn’t leave. After a bunch of GOP assembly members spent several minutes arguing with state police at the entrance to the chamber without showing vax proof, they eventually just walked by. …Brian Bergen said ‘they’re not going to physically restrain us. We can just walk right in.'”

The State Capitol Joint Management Commission passed a motion by a vote of 5-2 to require people in the Statehouse complex to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination along with their identification in order to gain access to the complex.

Senator Joe Pennacchio criticized the commission for essentially requiring vaccine passports, which does little more than violating personal freedoms.

“Requiring vaccination passports is disingenuous. Just because a person has been vaccinated doesn’t mean they can’t have COVID or that they won’t spread it,” Pennacchio said. “The edict seems based more on political science than medical science, and highlights the point that bureaucrats should not be making these kind of decisions.

“People can go to a liquor store or casino, stand in line in a shopping area, and pack into a stadium to watch a football game without proof of vaccination, but they will be blocked from watching their elected representatives in Trenton,” said Pennacchio. “It doesn’t make sense. This isn’t the way New Jersey State Government is supposed to be run.”

Pennacchio also questioned why the State Capital Joint Management Commission disregarded immunity developed by those who have recovered from COVID infections.

“They failed to factor in natural immunity, which has shown to be equal to, if not more effective than vaccines,” Pennacchio said.

“COVID numbers have waned, and treatments have improved, but it seems that hasn’t stopped the government from ignoring the Constitution and disregarding the right of the people and their representatives to be heard. Locking legislators and the public out of the State House is just wrong.”

Assembly and Senate Republicans, who are in the minority, sued late Wednesday seeking to stop the requirement and set the stage for a confrontation with law enforcement officials.