Piped into the chamber via phone, Assemblyman Erik Peterson (R-23) today seemed intent on raising

hell even from afar, as he forced a testy exchange with Speaker Craig Coughlin (D-19). One of a handful of Republican assembly people earlier this month who barged past Statehouse security despite failing to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination, Peterson attended today’s Assembly session virtually and promptly excoriated Coughlin.

“I’ve lost my constitutional right to vote because of this nonsense,” Peterson griped, amid an upswing of COVID-19 cases.

The clerk asked for Peterson to clarify his vote.

“No,” he yelled, referring to his opposition to that particular bill. “No. What’s going on? I can’t hear you.”

The session took on the feel of a junior high school classroom, with unruly students gathered in a removed part of the room trying to trip up the teacher, in this case Coughlin. Moments later, Peterson – apparently gathered – or participating individually – but in any case undertaking his duties remotely – with other Republican members – spoke in favor of A-5727.

In providing his argument on behalf of the bill, he reflected on the episode with the state police. “It took six of them to hold me back; I’m kind of proud of that,” said Peterson, who launched into a diatribe that would signify virtual Republican participation today: gratuitous public regurgitation of each of the bill’s contents in a willful show of foot-dragging meant to inconvenience the speaker and the Assembly at-large. “I have kids in school. Sometimes they do drills when the weather’s not good. I think this bill is great. It will help our children and prevent anxiety.”

Later, he tangled with Coughlin amid some applause, presumably by Democratic members of the Assembly in support of the speaker. “How do we know how everyone’s voting?” Peterson’s voice demanded.

“You can come in the building,” said Coughlin. “All you need to do is show proof of vaccination or get a rapid test. Now wait a minute. Now I get to talk.”

Peterson shot back a moment later. “It’s disparage [sic] treatment, between those who believe in the Constitution and those who don’t,” he said.

Denied by state troopers, he railed. “I find it repugnant that my constitutional rights were trampled,” Peterson said. The process transformed him ” into a second-rate legislator because of the way you’re treating us. I find it unbecoming of the speaker to treat us like this.”

“You’re welcome to come into the house, all you have to do is follow the rules,” Coughlin said.

Profound echoes drowned out the assemblymen when he later tried to make his opposition heard on the subject of a proposed gun safety summit.

The virtual GOP members and Statehouse-actual speaker dickered as each side proclaimed the other muffled.

“We can’t hear you,” fellow piped-in Peterson ally Assemblyman Brian Bergen told Coughlin.

“Are you all together, because I can hear you,” the speaker said, addressing the virtual GOP members.

Later, Peterson railed, “I’m not going to have the government stick something in my arm,” much to Coughlin’s chagrin.

In a video from early December, the Assemblyman from Hunterdon County, confronted by state troopers in the chamber, said:

“You see this, folks. This is denying us entry into our house. This is America. Illegal procedure.

“This tyranny, folks,” Peterson added. “America, see what’s happening here.”

A state trooper told him he was in violation, prompting Peterson to strenuously object.

Alex Zdan of News 12 added the following:

“Lt. Col. Geoffrey Noble, the second in command of the @njsp, has just entered the Assembly chamber where Republican lawmakers who have refused to comply with the Statehouse vax/test mandate are holed up.”

Some background on this developing story, by way of The Associated Press:

New Jersey Republican lawmakers on Thursday scorned statehouse rules requiring proof of either COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test to enter the building and sought to halt the mandate with a lawsuit.

Assembly and Senate Republicans, who are in the minority, sued late Wednesday seeking to stop the requirement and set the stage for a confrontation with law enforcement officials. That’s because both chambers have scheduled votes for the afternoon, when legislators are expected to gather to cast their votes.

State troopers referred Peterson to the following October vote by the State Capitol Joint Management Commission, which he again ddenounced today.

Later in the month, a “New Jersey judge denied a Republican request to halt a requirement to provide proof of a COVID-19 vaccine or a negative test to enter the statehouse building on Friday,” according to NBC News.