Judge Napolitano slams Gov. Murphy : 'He can no longer be trusted with power of the gov't'
Judge Andrew Napolitano blasts New Jersey governor Phil Murphy for sending a mixed message on protests
Fox News senior judicial analyst Andrew Napolitano blasted New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy for backing protests over the death of George Floyd after cracking down on businesses that tried to open in defiance of stay-at-home orders, arguing it shows that he "simply misunderstands the First Amendment.”
The former judge of the Superior Court of New Jersey told “Fox & Friends” on Tuesday that he is “angry” and added that “anybody who believes that the Constitution means what it says should be angry" after listening to Murphy's comments the day before.
“It's one thing to protest what day nail salons are opening and it's another to come out in peaceful protest overwhelmingly about somebody who was murdered right before our eyes,” Murphy said, while strict stay-at-home orders are in place in an effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
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Also on Monday, Murphy announced that New Jersey is expanding the kinds of businesses that can reopen, saying that starting June 15 in-person retail will resume and outdoor diners will be allowed at restaurants. Salons and barbershops can reopen on June 22.
Reacting to Murphy’s comments, host Brian Kilmeade asked, “What's wrong with him?”
“Are we supposed to keep social distance, wear a mask and be responsible and stay at home even on sunny days or are we supposed to just come together and throw that in the street for a good protest?” he continued.
Napolitano brought up what Murphy told Tucker Carlson during an interview in April, when he was pressed on the restrictions that were in place amid the coronavirus pandemic. Murphy said it was "above his pay grade" to consider the Bill of Rights at the time.
“I don't know which is worse, what Governor Murphy told Tucker Carlson … when he said the Bill of Rights was above his pay grade or this, where he is going to permit and protect demonstrations for a public policy issue that he agrees with, but not demonstrations that want to challenge him.”
“This is the whole reason we have a First Amendment."
He went on to say that the government must protect all speech, not “use its power to evaluate the quality and value and meaning of speech."
Napolitano pointed out that Murphy protected thousands of demonstrators “who did not social distance, who were peaceful in front of Newark City Hall yesterday, but he would not protect 25 people who wanted to get together in a small town to challenge his ability to close nail salons and barbershops.”
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Napolitano then said that Murphy “simply misunderstands the First Amendment and can no longer be trusted with the power of the government.”
Fox News’ Charles Creitz and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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