NJ Republicans Blocked From Statehouse Over COVID-19 Policy

NEW JERSEY — New Jersey Republicans continue their fight against Statehouse COVID-19 policy and, on Monday, were barred from entering the building after refusing to show proof of vaccination or a negative test, according to Assemblyman Robert Auth and multiple reports.

Auth first took to Facebook to announce that he wasn't be allowed in the building, along with five others, including Assemblyman Brian Bergen, who was among the first people to defy policy when it was enacted Dec. 2.

Photos posted to Auth's page show New Jersey State Police troopers set up at multiple entries, and do seem to indicate that a small group of lawmakers were denied entry.

According to the New Jersey Globe, Assemblymembers Bergen, Auth, Gerard Scharfenberger, Serena DiMaso, Erik Peterson and Jay Webber were denied entry, as were Sens. Kip Bateman, Joe Pennacchio and Kristin Corrado.

This enhanced adherence to protocol comes days after state lawmakers asked State Police Superintendent Col. Patrick Callahan a number of hard questions about why troopers hadn't enforced the policy, specifically on Dec. 2, when lawmakers refused to show proof of vaccination or a negative test, and accessed the chambers anyway. Read more: NJ Republicans Dodge COVID-19 Vaccine Policy, Enter Statehouse

Callahan often didn't respond to those questions, citing that an investigation has been opened, NJ.com reported. Adding additional awkwardness to the moment, the questions came during Callahan's nomination hearing for the superintendent role. He had served in an acting role for four years prior to his confirmation on Monday.

“As it is an active investigation, and I’m the ultimate disciplinarian, it would be inappropriate for me to comment,” Callahan told the state Senate Judiciary Committee.

Perhaps in a moment Callahan can relate to, then, the Republicans whom his troopers blocked from entry eventually joined a voting session remotely, using their time to extend conversations of the already-crammed docket. NJ.com reports that the voting session lasted 11 hours.

Republicans have already filed one lawsuit seeking to challenge the COVID-19 policy but on Monday filed an additional lawsuit, though a judge denied the request later in the day. Read more: NJ Assembly Republicans Will Challenge State House COVID Policy

The new policy bars entry to the Statehouse for anyone who cannot provide proof of full vaccination or a negative PCR or rapid test within the last 72 hours. Members of the legislature must follow these rules but can show a proof of negative test from anytime within the previous seven days. The same is true for legislative employees.

This latest protest comes as COVID-19 cases have more than doubled from last week, and state officials announced that New Jersey residents could get free, at-home, saliva-based COVID-19 tests.

The state health department has reported at least 6,000 new cases per day since Thursday, peaking at 6,533 for Sunday.

The increase in cases comes as world health officials warn of the omicron variant's contagiousness. The variant has a doubling time of 1.5 to three days, spreading "significantly faster" than the delta variant, the World Health Organization said Saturday.

The delta variant represented 97.9 percent of New Jersey's sequenced cases, according to the state's most recent surveillance report, from the week ending Dec. 4. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said last week that the omicron variant represents 13 percent of New Jersey cases, which tied for the highest in the nation with New York. Read more: NJ COVID Cases More Than Double From Last Week

With reporting from Josh Bakan.