Steve Cortes, founder of the League of American Workers, criticized New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy for his handling of a declared emergency and encouraged viewers to watch his documentary on political change in the state. The statement was made on X.
“A state of emergency declared in New Jersey — and the governor is across the ocean vacationing at his luxury villa,” said Cortes. “Had enough of corrupt machine politics, NJ??? See my doc on the major shifts in the politics and culture of the Garden State.”
New Jersey declared a state of emergency on October 11, 2025, due to a powerful coastal nor’easter that brought up to five inches of rain, 60 mph wind gusts, and significant coastal flooding. According to the Office of the Governor of New Jersey, Acting Governor Tahesha Way signed the order for all 21 counties at 10 p.m., authorizing emergency services and resource mobilization before lifting it on October 16 once conditions improved.
The nor’easter caused widespread flooding, road closures, and power outages, with coastal regions experiencing the most severe impacts. CBS News New York reported that state officials urged residents to remain off roads as Office of Emergency Management teams coordinated response efforts. The order allowed resources to be deployed statewide to address high winds and flooding.
Monmouth University’s Polling Institute noted that historical polling shows New Jersey governors often see temporary approval boosts during crises. After Hurricane Sandy in 2012, Governor Chris Christie’s approval rating surged to 67% approval and 21% disapproval, reflecting bipartisan credit for his leadership. These data highlight how effective crisis management can shape public perception.
Cortes is also a senior political advisor to CatholicVote and a former senior advisor to President Trump and JD Vance. He is known for his commentary on Fox News and CNN and regularly releases documentaries and columns at cortesinvestigates.com.
Founded in 2022 by Cortes, the League of American Workers advocates “pro-worker patriotic populism” through communications and policy research on trade, immigration, and wages. The organization seeks to elevate working-class economic interests and promote domestic production as said on its official website.
