You knew Governor Phil Murphy was going to be asked again today about the lawsuit filed Tuesday by Christopher Neuwirth, a recently-fired assistant health commissioner.

And he was – about three different times – at his daily briefing.

He flatly declined comment on the suit; no surprise there.

For the record, the suit alleges that Pat Callahan, the head of the State Police and a briefing regular, asked Neuwirth to do him “a favor.” And that favor was to test relatives of George Helmy, the governor’s chief of staff, for COVID-19. This was in April when it wasn’t all that easy to get tested in New Jersey.

In simple terms, the allegation is that the governor’s people were playing politics and trying to pull strings during the height of the pandemic. Not a good look at all.

One question today was whether there were different rules for the governor’s “inner circle.”

Not so, replied the governor. Matt Platkin, the governor’s chief counsel, was tested for the virus because he was in contact with people who had it, Murphy said. Platkin, in fact, got the virus himself and has recovered.

The governor was more animated when Callahan’s name popped up. He reiterated what he said Tuesday about how vital the work of Callahan and Helmy is to New Jersey.

And then he went further, calling it “outrageous” and a “real stain on the Senate” that Callahan has not been officially confirmed as State Police superintendent. He has served in an “acting” capacity since 2017. Murphy attributed the oversight purely to “politics.”

The governor was happier to chat about the progress the state continues to make battling the virus. And as he has done previously, Murphy contrasted the positive occurrences in the state to the spikes we are seeking across the country.

He said these states – they include Arizona, Florida and Texas – “rushed to reopen” and that New Jersey is now seen as a state that is doing it right. All the relevant metrics – hospitalizations, infection rate, new cases  and deaths – are declining.

He said that’s because of a more controlled reopening, social distancing and the wearing of masks.

Speaking of masks, the governor seized on a story out of California featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Seems like the actor/politician visited a gym in the beach community of Venice, but left abruptly when he saw most there were not wearing masks.

Murphy enjoyed telling that story so much it made you wonder if he was going to invite Schwarzenegger to visit New Jersey next year and campaign with him. They can both wear masks.