O’Scanlon’s Budget Question Uncovers Murphy’s May Surprise

The State Treasure Admitted NJ Received $6.3 Billion from the Feds, but the Administration Kept it Secret

For the second time in less than two weeks, Senator Declan O’Scanlon’s laser-targeted questioning during Senate budget hearings revealed damning insight into the Murphy Administration.

Today, during a revenue update by State Treasurer Elizabeth Muoio, O’Scanlon asked a series of questions prompting a revelation that the state had received $6.3 billion in federal relief funds without divulging the info.

“They received the whole hog last night – $6.3 billion – but didn’t think to mention it to the budget committee or anybody else,” said O’Scanlon. “As a result of my questions, the information slipped out, and every member of the budget committee, Republican and Democrat alike, were stunned by the admission.

“It makes us wonder what else the Administration is trying to hide,” O’Scanlon said.

On May 11, O’Scanlon’s queries led to the disturbing realization that the Administration’s top health official, Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli, does not understand vaccine efficacy statistics.

“That was another stunning revelation that would seem to explain the Administration’s continued over-cautious approach that conflicts with the 48 other continental states and CDC guidelines,” O’Scanlon said. “The commissioner’s misunderstanding had the effect of dramatically over-estimating the threat to the vaccinated. The threat is virtually zero for serious illness or hospitalization.”

Today’s news of the $6.3 billion pool of federal money raises questions further about Murphy’s plans for the money.

“We showed them our plan for responsibly allocating more than $6 billion in American Relief Plan funding last month,” said O’Scanlon. “The Administration famously dropped the ball in its handling of the $2.4 billion of CARES Act funds that came to New Jersey in April 2020.

“He sat on the money for months and then used it to pay for ordinary government expenses rather than helping people. With another $6 billion plus, we can’t afford to let him make the same mistake on an even bigger scale,” O’Scanlon said.

“People in this state need relief now! Since he has shared his plan for the money, I worry that he has another secret plan to waste the money like he did last time and just doesn’t want public scrutiny of it,” the Senator said.