GOP club gala sparks political dispute over virus restrictions

A New Jersey restaurant that hosted a political gala put on by a New York Republican club was ordered temporarily closed Friday over potential violations of coronavirus guidelines.

Photos and video posted onTwitter showeddozens of maskless partiers at theNew York Young Republican Club event on Thursday night in Jersey City, some of whom tweeted taunting messages to Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Among the attendees was U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican, and conservative political activist James O’Keefe.

Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, a Democrat, said in an emailed statement that the event at the Maritime P arc restaurant in Liberty State Park was “an egregious violation” of state coronavirus guidelines and that he was ordering the restaurant temporarily closed.

“In Jersey City we take Covid enforcement very seriously, andthis event appears to be an egregious violation of the governor’s executive orders, including capacity limitations and mandatory maskwearing,” Fulopwrote. “This event blatantly disregards the protections put in place to safeguard the community from further contagion and has put Jersey City and countless others at serious risk.”

No one answered the phone at therestaurant. Gaetzdidn’t respond to a text message Friday.

Gov. Phil Murphy, also a Democrat, has tightened restrictions on indoor gatherings recentlyin response to a surge in COVID-19 cases in

NewJersey. Indoor dining is restricted to 25% of a restaurant’ s capacity, and no indoor dining is allowed between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. Indoor gatherings are limited to 10 people, with exceptions for events such as religious ceremonies.

Travelers fromout of state are urged to quarantine for 14 days, but Murphy has said the state is relying on the honor systemfor compliance.

New York Young Republicans Club President Gavin Wax sc off ff ff ff ff ff ed at the criticism online, saying the group had done nothing wrong.

“We embrace life and living while you all cower in your pods worried about a disease with a 99%+ survivability rate ,” he said in one tweet, referring to a pandemic that has killedmore than 24,000 people in New York City alone.

“The left wants you to live in a world where socializing and being with friends and loved ones is a crime and a sin,” he wrote. “They claim isolation is a virtue. Its sick.”

Murphy criticizedtheNew York Young Republicans for holding the gala in New Jersey, saying at a news brie fifing Friday that they“snuck” into Jersey City because they couldn’ t fifind a venue that would take themin New York City.

“There is no obvious attempt to enforce social distancing or face masks even though wearingmasks indoors ismandatoryat organized gatherings when not eatingor drinking,” saidMurphy, displaying aphoto from the gala that showed people crowded around Gaetz for a photo.

Hesaiditwas “beyond the pale,” especially for a congressman, and he purposely mis pronounced Gaetz’ s name as “Matt Putz.”