In the course of the COVID pandemic, Gov. Murphy signed a number of executive orders designed to protect New Jersey citizens. Some argued that those executive orders trampled on our constitutional rights, and those criticisms resurfaced recently during the state Senate hearing that culminated in Matt Platkin's confirmation as attorney general. In response to those criticisms, Richard Codey – the state senator and former Governor – said, "When the Coronavirus hit, I didn't give a damn what the Constitution said. I wanted us to be safe, I wanted to beat the virus."

This editorial is not about COVID, Gov. Murphy, or Attorney General Platkin. In particular, it's not about whether Gov. Murphy's executive orders violated the Constitution. It's about what happens when elected officials view the Constitution as an impediment to otherwise appropriate legislative goals.