Democrat,

Over the past two weeks, Republicans in Trenton have fully embraced an anti-vaccine agenda by refusing to follow basic safety guidelines to protect the health and safety of their fellow lawmakers, as well as staff and visitors. Legislators were given the very reasonable option to either prove their vaccination status or get tested for COVID-19 before entering the State House. But instead of acting responsibly, Republicans like Assemblyman Brian Bergen have used these safety regulations as an opportunity to grandstand and appeal to the radical fringe — rather than set the example that public health is more important than petty politics. 

Recently The Record Editorial Board called out Assemblyman Bergen and his Republican cohorts for their reckless, irresponsible and sickening behavior. 

Brian Bergen says he's fighting for freedom. He's lying — and he needs to stop | Editorial 

Brian Bergen says he's fighting for freedom. 

In our view, the Republican Assemblyman from Denville is fighting for the freedom to infect his colleagues with COVID-19. 

Bergen is among the ringleaders of a rabid pack of GOP dilettantes who have seen fit to oppose new requirements at the New Jersey State House that oblige lawmakers to demonstrate proof of vaccination or provide a negative COVID-19 test before taking their seats in the Assembly or the state Senate. 

In doing so, they've turned the halls of our Legislature into a Boardwalk sideshow, replete with the repellant language that fueled the anarchy of Jan. 6. 

These Republicans said the new COVID-19 requirements at the state house — which we see as basic efforts to uphold standards of public health — as "tyranny" of the Democrats in control of the Legislature and Gov. Phil Murphy. "Tyranny," of course, was cried by the hundreds of rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol nearly a year ago in the false belief that the 2020 president election was stolen from former President Donald Trump. 

Bergen was among a gaggle of Assembly members who flouted the new requirements to enter their chamber in an episode last Thursday that included a needlessly tense confrontation with state police. Warning that future protests would be among the GOP's tactics to thwart the vaccine and testing mandates, Bergen told columnist Charles Stile that the ruling Democrats "do what they want and push it down our throats." 

Worse, Bergen and his Republican colleagues have shrouded their ridiculous protest in the mantle of civil rights — extending the dubious trope that public health exists in conflict with liberty. 

Vaccines save lives. Testing saves lives. Maintaining public health is everyone's responsibility — especially for those we've elected to represent us in borough halls, the state house and the capitol. 

Worse still, Bergen is a liar. 

On Monday, Bergen extended his manufactured machismo with a ridiculous tweet in which he claimed that members of the National Guard had been dispatched to the state house to enforce the vaccine and testing requirements. 

"The National Guard was called to the Statehouse today to enforce vaccine mandates," Bergen wrote. "They can call in the 82 airborne and it won't stop me from taking my seat. Fighting for freedom of Americans is my life's work." 

The National Guard was at the state house, we've confirmed with the Governor's Office — to aid state Office of Emergency Management workers erect a testing site. 

Bergen's false flag is intolerable. 

Bergen's belief that public health measures endanger liberty is false. 

We expected better from a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy who flew helicopters in combat during Army service in Iraq. We expected better from a man who lives in a community where thousands of people have toiled at Picatinny Arsenal for generations — working to extend and preserve American freedom. 

We expected better from a man elected to represent a diverse and dynamic legislative district that spans two counties in which more than 80% of adults are vaccinated. 

You see, Assemblyman, the freedom you say you're fighting for can't exist without the shared sacrifice we must all make to end the pandemic. 

Stop spouting lies and get back to work.