Assembly Republicans vow protest on COVID-19 vaccine proof, negative tests | Stile

As the threat of the omicron variant sends shivers through a weary and worried nation, Republican members of the state Assembly are planning to protest a new rule banning lawmakers from entering the New Jersey Statehouse if they can't show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test.

The 28-member caucus, which has been in the minority in Trenton for almost two decades, plans to flout the new rule at Thursday's Assembly session. Just how the members plan to carry out their protest remains unclear. The rule takes effect Wednesday.

A caucus-wide refusal to attend is one possibility. Some may take the option of participating remotely, and others, like Assemblyman Brian Bergen, R-Denville, plan to attend and see what happens.

"I'm not going to abide by the policy,'' he said. "My plan is to go to my seat and vote. I'm not showing them anything."

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'It's wrong'

News of the protest, first reported by the New Jersey Globe, a political website deepened the partisan dividing lines that have emerged since the pandemic was declared 20 months ago.

The Republican resistance reflects some of the anti-mandate fervor that has gripped the GOP and helped power its gains in the legislative elections this month.

Opponents of the new rule, adopted this month by a panel comprised of legislative and administrative appointees that oversees management of the Statehouse complex, described it as a discriminatory and unnecessary standard that unfairly targets the unvaccinated.

Bergen argued that vaccinated people are also capable of transmitting the disease.

"You can give me a million examples of where they require a vaccine to get in somewhere, and I will tell you every single one of them is discriminatory. It's wrong,'' he said.

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But Democrats defended the new rule as a minor inconvenience that will protect lawmakers and the public.

At his coronavirus briefing in Trenton on Monday, Gov. Phil Murphy called the protest "ridiculous."

He noted that a rapid COVID-19 test will be provided at the Statehouse for those who need one for entry.

“It is 20 seconds of time,” Murphy said. “Ten seconds in each nostril. So it’s just ridiculous … Let’s stop playing politics — this is going to put people’s health at risk.”

Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex, who is confronted with the challenge of enforcing the measure, called the possible protest "political theater." Coughlin took pains to remind the anti-mandate rebels that they will be skipping a vote that will expand the state tax credit for child care — a tax cut for an estimated 80,000 families, the speaker said.

"We have an obligation to ensure the safety of everyone who enters the building and our chamber, and we take that responsibility seriously,'' Coughlin said in a statement. "To that end, we have created a policy to minimize the risk of spreading the virus and a mechanism to allow all members to vote."

Coughlin noted that lawmakers will be given the option to vote remotely, but opponents say the new policy robs them of their ability to publicly debate and negotiate with members on the floor.

Enforcing the policy will fall to the New Jersey State Police, who provide security at the Statehouse. Col. Patrick Callahan, the state police superintendent, said he had a "hard time envisioning" troopers handcuffing disobedient lawmakers, but believed officers could block their entry. He said he would consult the Attorney General's Office if "the issue arises."

It was not entirely clear how many Republicans would actually participate. Some cited less high-minded constitutional reasons for their discomfort with the new policy of showing proof of vaccination.

"I've been vaccinated — I mean, my words are not good enough?'' asked Assemblyman Bob Auth, R-Old Tappan. "I've had the booster, and everything else. If somebody doesn't want to do it, it's their business."

Assemblyman Jon Bramnick, R-Westfield, said some members view it as a double standard, imposing a strict entry policy on lawmakers that most New Jersey residents do not encounter at restaurants, bars and other public places. (Most New Jersey government workers, meanwhile, are required to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test.)

"It's a little over the top,'' Bramnick said, characterizing some of his colleagues' misgivings.

Bramnick, who was elected to the Senate in November, said he plans to comply with the Assembly rule.

'We must be ready now'

Shadowing the entire episode is the menace of the new omicron variant, which was detected in South Africa and triggered alarm bells around the world over the weekend. We do not yet know how quickly this new variant can spread, nor do we know about its ability to evade vaccines.

Murphy fielded a range of questions on the subject Monday but warned reporters that there was little solid information to share.

“The reality is that as our region is a hub of international travel and commerce, we must be ready now in anticipation of this variant hitting us,” Murphy said.

“We are all closely following the research into this variant as it is released, and we are all watching closely as new cases are discovered and reported," he said. "We don’t know a lot of the answers yet.”

Charlie Stile is a veteran New Jersey political columnist. For unlimited access to his unique insights into New Jersey’s political power structure and his powerful watchdog work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: stile@northjersey.com

Twitter: @politicalstile

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ Assembly Republicans say they'll flout COVID vaccine proof