Murphy defends park closures amid partisan backlash

Gov. Phil Murphy sought to defend against Republican criticisms bashing his executive order that shuttered New Jersey’s state and county parks.

“Here are the facts: In the first good-weather weekend of the spring, the evidence from State Park Police and other observations from up and down the state was unequivocally an enormous amount of gathering in close proximity of individuals in both state parks and county parks,” Murphy said during Thursday’s COVID-19 briefing. “Additionally, an uncomfortably-high number of out-of-state license plates.”

The governor faced the first instance of widespread partisan backlash directly related to his COVID-19 response over the order, which was issued Tuesday.

Prominent Republicans — including, among others, Republican State Chairman Doug Steinhardt, gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli and State Sens. Kip Bateman and Declan O’Scanlon — have called on the governor to rescind the order.

The Republicans variously said the park closures were an overstep that could harm New Jerseyans already struggling for outlets during a time when they’ve been ordered to curtail non-essential travel.

Others have cautioned that park closures could lead to residents jogging or walking on streets and sidewalks in droves, making it impossible to maintain a safe social distance while getting fresh air and exercise.

The administration has already considered that possibility, Murphy said.

“We understood that that is a consequence of this action,” the governor said. “Please be careful. This can’t be either/or. It has to be and/both. We had to shut these parks, and we need you to be careful.”

The governor also swatted away calls for the reopening of state and county parks in New Jersey’s less densely-populated areas.

“To those who say ‘gosh golly, we’re more rural, how about our’ — here’s the problem: The entirety of the rest of the state of New Jersey will be on your doorstep in your park,” he said, adding that out-of-state residents could also flock there.