New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has come under fire for not returning to the Garden State after Friday’s historic earthquake shook residents.
Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-New Jersey, after Murphy did not address residents on camera despite several television and phone interviews, including one with CBS on Saturday. told “FOX News Live” on Saturday.
“We haven’t heard anything from the governor. On a lighter note, Arcel, some say he might be better off not coming because every time he comes to New Jersey he raises taxes, tolls, and fees. And subsidies for illegal actors,” Van Drew told “FOX News Live” co-anchor Arcel Neville.
“But in all seriousness, he wasn’t at the World Summit for World Peace. I mean, he was at the Democratic Convention. Basically, he’s probably a more democratic governor. “It’s an association of democratic governors that was looking at how to create a ,” he said.
4.8 magnitude earthquake hits New Jersey, shaking buildings in surrounding states
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy was out of state when a historic earthquake struck the state Friday. (Governor’s Office)
Van Drew said that during natural disasters, residents are forced to look to New York state leaders for guidance rather than their own governor.
“So I think he could have probably taken 12 hours and come back to New Jersey. Our people in New Jersey really looked at New York, New York officials and what they were saying. I had to turn,” Van Drew said. “Even though the actual earthquake was centered in Lebanon, New Jersey, in the northwestern part of the state.”
A message on a cell phone showed an emergency alert message warning of an earthquake that struck New York, New York, on Friday. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a magnitude 4.8 earthquake was recorded with its epicenter in neighboring New Jersey. (Anegela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)
Republican representatives said Murphy could have easily returned to the state to assure residents of their safety.
“It would have been a great symbol if he had come back and said, ‘Everything is going to be fine.’ I personally would like to review the infrastructure myself and see what the team has done. “He could have gotten back to where he was in the tournament, the association he was in,” Van Drew said.
Fox Weather speaks to New Jersey residents from the epicenter of the earthquake
It’s good for people to know that their leaders will be there for them when problems arise.
“So personally I was a little disappointed that he wasn’t available. It’s good for people to know that the leaders will be there in times of trouble,” he said. “And, you know, in the global earthquake program that we’re seeing in California and other states, this wasn’t huge, but it was the largest earthquake to occur in New Jersey in almost 150 and a half years. I wish he had been there.”
FOX News has reached out to Murphy’s office for comment.
On Saturday, the governor wrote to X that the state’s emergency operations center was shut down Saturday morning.
“Our State Emergency Operations Center is out of action as of 10 a.m. today,” Murphy wrote. “There are no reports of major damage to buildings, roads or infrastructure from yesterday’s earthquake.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The earthquake measured at least 4.8 on the Richter scale and struck at 10:23 a.m. Friday near Lebanon, New Jersey, about 45 miles west of New York City and 80 miles north of Philadelphia, according to the USGS.
Estimates suggest that more than 42 million people in 14 states, from Maine to North Carolina, may have felt the quake. More than 20 aftershocks have been felt since then.
More than 152,000 Americans have reported to the USGS that they are feeling shaken.
