New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is under fire for taking an eight-day Christmas vacation to Costa Rica during a massive COVID-19 surge in his home state. Murphy made the trip to Costa Rica despite the State Department's warning for visitors to "reconsider" their trips to the South American nation.
The governor's vacation came at a time when Murphy and other state officials have called on New Jersey residents to be cautious during the holidays.
"I wish everyone great holidays," the Democrat governor said Monday. "Please God, get vaccinated, get boosted, and be smart. I know wearing a mask stinks. I don't blame you. I don't like it either. But if you're inside and you don't know everybody else's vaccination status, put one on," he instructed.
Murphy and his wife left for Costa Rica on Dec. 22 and are due back on Thursday, with Lt. Gov Sheila Oliver serving as the state's acting governor in the meantime.
Murphy called in from Costa Rica to President Joe Biden's COVID-19 response meeting with other governors on Monday, where he received a "thank you" from the president before the meeting was closed to the public, Fox News reported.
"We're going to spend some time together as a family," said the governor at a Trenton event when asked if his trip out of the country was appropriate at this time, NJ.com reported. "Please God, we need that."
"Governor Murphy defying orders, even his own, is nothing new," said Rep. Jeff Van Drew in a comment to Fox News. "He has left the state of New Jersey on personal trips multiple times during the pandemic, yet continuously imposes mask mandates, vaccine mandates, and virtual school is now back on the table."
"If Governor Murphy can travel out of the country when the State Department urges the American people to stay put, Americans should be afforded the same discretion regarding their personal health choices just like our leaders," he added. "It is fitting that President Biden escapes his responsibilities by traveling to a Delaware beach house after saying responses to COVID-19 should be left to the states, and then Governor Murphy runs off to a Costa Rican beach."
Murphy previously faced heat for taking a similar trip to Italy for a 10-day vacation in August while the Delta variant of COVID-19 surged in the state. Former NJ Gov. Chris Christie said Murphy was sending the "wrong message" for going on the trip.
In March 2020, Murphy defended keeping armed guards for his personal protection while ordering "non-essential" gun shops to close. "It is what it is," said the governor without offering much justification for his orders.
In summer 2020, Murphy attended a George Floyd protest, sating that he "can’t imagine what it would look like if we told people, 'You have to ignore systemic racism, just stay inside.'" At the time of the Black Lives Matter protest, Murphy issued stay-at-home orders for New Jersey residents.
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