Phil Murphy's legacy is destroyed as he signs a death warrant for transparency | Stile

In a self-serving and defensive statement released alongside his announcement that he was gutting New Jersey’s Open Public Records Act, Gov. Phil Murphy cast a homespun, snow-globe vision of New Jersey where its mayors are pillars of unquestionable rectitude who would never, ever do something like suppress payroll reports or police video or other documents that, just might be a tad unflattering — and costly.

“Mayors subject themselves to constant scrutiny by their neighbors and their very own communities, especially in the age of social media, and I simply reject the idea that those calling for the bill’s passage are part of a nefarious plot to evade transparency and accountability," Murphy said in a written statement after he had signed the odious legislation billed by its sponsors and supporters as "a reform."

And those good, ol’ legislators, who just passed the law last year allowing them to stuff their accounts with wads of new cash? They, too, shouldn’t be picked on by critics. Their heart is always in the right place, even here in New Jersey, where the reek of corruption is as commonplace as the foul methane stench of the Meadowlands at low tide.

“The Legislature’s task of balancing all of the interests involved in this challenging issue was not an easy one and should not be subject to derision," he wrote.

Murphy's statement depicted a fantasy world in which good intentions guide every decision, and the public servants of good faith should be given the benefit of the doubt at every turn — including himself.

“If I believed that this bill would enable corruption in any way, I would unhesitatingly veto it," he said.

A chillingly dark day for democracy in New Jersey is a permanent stain for Murphy

But make no mistake about it: this new “modernization” of the 22-year-old landmark law allows corruption and misdeeds to molder unnoticed in city halls, police departments and school districts. No amount of sanctimonious spin obscures the fact that his signing of this law will go down as a dark day for democracy in New Jersey.

Wednesday will be remembered as the day when an allegedly progressive governor from Goldman Sachs expanded the power of officials to conceal public records from the prying eyes of reporters, activists, watchdogs, lawyers and the general public. They now have the power to stonewall requests with impunity and scare off document requestors with a new ability to file lawsuits.

This is a day when the Empire of Government Power struck back, closed its doors and tightened the locks of public access with the help of sympathetic legislators, many of whom came out of town halls as local officials and now make their living as lawyers representing those towns. And Murphy, who has never previously held elected office, came to their rescue.

Charlie Stile: If Murphy signs OPRA 'reform,' he abandons his progressive ambitions — and legacy

"It’s shameful that despite overwhelming concerns from their constituents, lawmakers fast-tracked, and the governor signed a bill that severely restricts access to government records and limits the public’s ability to hold elected officials accountable," said Sarah Fajardo, the American Civil Liberties Union director of public policy.

The decision stands in stark contrast to a major victory for the beleaguered progressive movement in New Jersey. It comes a day after primary voters cast their votes on a new “block ballot” design, a historic reform that erodes some of the power of party bosses. It replaced the decades-old and discredited “county line” system that party bosses wielded to keep candidates under their thumb.

“New Jersey just took a big step forward with our first primary election without the line on the ballot, and now the state is taking two even bigger steps backward," noted Nicole Rodriguez, president of the New Jersey Policy Perspective.

It’s hard to discern Murphy’s motives for signing this bill but it should be noted that the progressives who crusaded to end the county line did so largely in reaction to Tammy Murphy’s ill-advised candidacy for the U.S. Senate. The first lady’s entry into the race became Exhibit A of what was wrong with a system that instantly turned her -- an inexperienced former Republican -- into a frontrunner for the nomination. It was a court ruling in late March — and the fury of grassroots progressives — that ended the county line and pushed Tammy Murphy out of the race.

So it's hard to see Murphy suddenly offering sympathy to the same progressive leaders that ended his wife’s bid.

Charlie Stile: Will Phil Murphy sign the bill that shredded OPRA? He just might, but he shouldn't

What kind of deal did Murphy cut with the Legislature?

There has also been some buzz that Murphy cut a deal with legislative leaders, who made OPRA-gutting a priority — his signature for this OPRA “reform” in exchange for their support on a new tax on corporations dedicated to NJ Transit, which is facing a monstrous operating deficit even with fare hikes. And we're three weeks away from the budget deadline, when the budget pork is carved and distributed largely out of the public’s eye. So the table of potential deal making could be very crowded.

But, remember, let's not impugn the unimpeachable motives of public servants with speculation about unsavory, closed-door deal making. They would never do anything terrible or threaten the very foundations of democracy, like Donald Trump, or erode faith in government, like Sen. Bob Menendez, who is standing trial on widespread corruption charges.

“I understand we are living in a moment where our democracy feels more fragile than ever, with a former president who has been indicted for inciting an insurrection during his final days in office inexplicably within striking distance of the White House once again," Murphy wrote in his statement. “And I know that closer to home, New Jerseyans across the political spectrum feel deeply betrayed and outraged by the serious allegations that our senior United States Senator accepted bribes from a foreign government.”

Actually, this has absolutely nothing to do with Trump or Menendez, but everything to do with the lawmakers who pushed this through. They are the ones who are further eroding faith in democracy, in government, and maybe soon will have to answer for it, beginning next year in the Assembly elections. It is also a permanent stain on Phil Murphy’s legacy.

“Gov. Murphy’s reasons for signing this bill read like a vapid monologue of caveats and self-congratulation," said Isaac Avilucea, a member of the New Jersey Society of Professional Journalists. “Well, congratulations, Governor. History will remember this as the day you signed OPRA’s death warrant.”

Charlie Stile is a veteran New Jersey political columnist. For unlimited access to his unique insights into New Jersey’s political power structure and his powerful watchdog work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: stile@northjersey.com

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Phil Murphy destroyed legacy by signing NJ OPRA 'reform' bill