Republican U.S. Senate candidate Rik Mehta is threatening to file a lawsuit against Gov. Phil Murphy, alleging that misinformation about COVID-19 has interfered with his campaign to unseat Democrat Cory Booker.
“Using COVID as an excuse to push a political agenda is the dirtiest and most despicable game of politics I have ever seen,” Mehta stated. “New Jersey demands an apology for the Governor’s histrionic behaviors that have broken public trust in managing COVID. Murphy needs to pay my campaign damages immediately.”
Mehta charged that is using fear-mongering strategies, like mandated quarantines and commenting on President Donald Trump’s Bedminster fundraiser last month, that have limited is ability raise money for his Senate bid.
“Phil Murphy is not a doctor, or a scientist, or an epidemiologist or a public health expert. Yet, he plays all of them on television every day, spreading misinformation about COVID-19 and implementing top down policies that have led to the highest number of COVID deaths than any other state in the country, especially in our elderly,” Mehta said. “He continues to cherry pick activities that have a low propensity for virus transmission using the full weight of his office simply because they run contrary to his political agenda.”
Murphy had called Mehta “out of this world” and “unfit for public office” after the Republican continued to make campaign stops despite having attended the Trump event held hours before the president announced that he had tested positive for COVID.
A former U.S. Food and Drug Administration official, Mehta wants an apology from Murphy for using social media to call the Trump fundraiser reckless. He says social distancing guidelines were used.
Murphy said that there was no evidence that anyone got sick after attending the president’s event.
“We’re not aware of any outbreaks,” he said.
Mehta, who said he was no closer than 40 feet from Trump, later tested negative for COVID.
“The Governor was fear mongering, and like many of his decisions, they are not based or backed by science,” said Mehta. “The announcement that the Bedminster fundraiser had no COVID positive cases was no surprise to me or to most medical professionals. The reason we were not concerned. Well because, science.”
The GOP Senate candidate also sharply criticized Murphy and Attorney General Gurbir Grewal for their attacks on Atilis gum in Bellmawr. The gym, which now serves as a Mehta campaign headquarters, had refused to close despite Murphy’s executive order.
“The Governor and the AG know that the former gym owners are members of my finance committee and are holding daily volunteer recruitment events,” stated Mehta. “His continued attacks on Atilis gym and wanton disregard for my campaign site has impacted our ability to conduct fundraising activities.”
Mehta wants Murphy and Grewal to “immediately and must cease and desist all enforcement actions against the Atilis site.”