Gym Owner Who Defied NJ COVID Rules Runs For Congress

BELLMAWR, NJ — The South Jersey gym owner who in the spring of 2020 repeatedly kept his gym open in violation of Gov. Phil Murphy's executive orders has new plans: He's running for Congress.

Ian Smith, the owner of Atilis Gym in Bellmawr, announced Sunday on Twitter that he plans to run for U.S. House against Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ3).

Smith said he will officially announce his campaign this Thursday.

"This Thursday 2/3 I’ll be formally announcing my campaign for Congress in NJ CD-3 against @AndyKimNJ," tweeted Smith on his personal Twitter account. "I am truly excited to have the possibility to serve the people of NJ with a platform focused on liberty, small government, and America First policies."

Kim is a Democrat. Smith hasn't officially said yet, but he will likely run as a Republican.

Smith and co-owner Frank Trumbetti gained national fame when they chose not to follow a mandate from Gov. Murphy that ordered all gyms and many other small businesses closed in the first six months of the pandemic.

Smith and Trumbetti continually kept reopening Atilis Gym. Both men were arrested in July 2020 and charged with fourth-degree contempt and obstruction and violation of a disaster control act.

When the coronavirus pandemic began in late March of 2020, then-President Donald Trump ordered a two-week national shutdown and stay-at-home orders. After those two weeks, other states allowed private businesses to reopen while in New Jersey, Gov. Murphy ordered nearly all retail businesses to remain closed, except for those deemed essential, such as groceries and big-box stores like Walmart. Small businesses, such as hair salons, day cares, retail boutiques, restaurants, bars and gyms, were not allowed to reopen.

Gyms were actually one of the last businesses allowed to reopen in New Jersey: They were forced to close in late March and allowed to fully reopen Sept. 1, albeit at 25 percent capacity limits. Prior to that, they had been allowed to open only for personal training.

At the time, Smith said he was standing up for constitutional rights and struggling small businesses all over the world.

"We don't need the government to tell us what we can and can't do," Smith previously said at reopen NJ rally in the spring of 2020. "We need a government that protects our rights and doesn't make exceptions."

Political watchers nationwide predict the 2022 midterms could spell danger for sitting Democrats. Kim's seat, plus 7th Dist. Rep. Tom Malinowski, 11th Dist. Rep. Mikie Sherrill and 5th District Rep. Josh Gottheimer have all been named by the national Democratic Party as being in the “Frontline” program, which means the party is directing additional money to those midterms as they are expected to be tight races, NJ.com reported just last week.

In 2008, when he was 20 years old, Smith was convicted and sentenced to more than five years in prison for causing a drunk driving crash that killed a Galloway teenager. He ran a stop sign and killed 19-year-old Kevin Ade.

In May of 2020, he addressed his guilt in the teen's death, in an Instagram video:

"This is something I've been public about my whole life. I've never run from it, nor would I ever," Smith said in the video. "It's something I accept full responsibility for, and for anybody out there who hates me, I think you are completely justified in doing so."

Smith said he woke up after a night of drinking in his dorm room and got in his car.

"Moments later, I was the sole cause of a motor vehicle accident that took the life of a young man named Kevin," Smith said. "When I awoke that morning, I didn't realize there was still alcohol in my system. Being a 20-year-old kid, no one ever explained those dangers. It was always don't drink and drive, and we didn't drink and drive ... My actions caused the death of a young man and broke the hearts of an entire community, and that's something that they'll never fully recover from. There's nothing that I can do other than try to live a good life and give back and try to promote as much love and positivity in the world as I can.

"That being said, what we have started and what we are doing at Atilis, has very little to do with me as an individual. I just happen to be at the front of it. What we're standing up for is far greater than me and far greater than Atilis Gym."

Prior: NJ Gym Reportedly Opens For Third Straight Day Despite Murphy Warnings

Read more here: Owner Of NJ Gym That Defied Murphy Opens Up About Drunk Driving

With reporting from Anthony Bellano/Patch

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Contact this Patch reporter: Carly.baldwin@patch.com