The Left is increasingly using the virus to to suppress liberties across the nation. Gun rights, freedom of assembly, and now freedom of faith are under assault in several states. These freedoms are enshrined in the Bill of Rights.

Tucker Carlson interviewed liberal Democrat New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy Wednesday night on the subject during Tucker Carlson Tonight.

Carlson: “The Bill of Rights, as you well know, protects Americans’ rights — enshrines their right to practice their religion as they see fit and to congregate together to assemble peacefully. By what authority did you nullify the Bill of Rights in issuing this order? How do you have the power to do that?”

Murphy: “That’s above my pay grade, Tucker. I wasn’t thinking of the Bill of Rights when we did this … we looked at all the data and the science and it says people have to stay away from each other. That is the best thing we can do to break the back of the curve of this virus, that leads to lower hospitalization and ultimately fatalities.”

Notice the dodge, “it’s above my pay grade,” and the pivot to public health, though it wasn’t a public health question. Carlson pressed him.

Carlson: “Since you are an elected official, a leader in the government, an executive, how do you have the authority to order something that so clearly contravenes the Bill of Rights of the United States – the U.S. Constitution – where do you get the authority to do that?”

Murphy: “Well, here’s the thing. We know we need to stay away from each other, number one. Number two, we do have broad authority within the state. And number three, we would never do that without coordinating, discussing, and hashing it out with the variety of the leaders of the faiths of New Jersey.”

Murphy completely ignores the question. Granted, from a political perspective a beautiful example of message discipline. But from a policy and leadership aspect it was a cynical and petty performance from the governor of New Jersey. But that’s what you get from Democrats in a national crisis, pure politics.

This piece was written by PoliZette Staff on April 16, 2020. It originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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