Republican lawmakers in New Jersey announced plans to hold independent hearings on the Murphy administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic beginning in March. 

Republicans in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature have been calling for a bipartisan investigation with subpoena power into what they say were policy and management failures “that led to preventable deaths, destroyed businesses and jobs, and left millions of New Jerseyans without access to important services and support.”

The announcement also comes as New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is under intense fire for his own administration’s handling of the pandemic, and for hiding data from the public. The FBI and prosecutors are currently looking into the allegations against Cuomo.

“Senate Republicans have repeatedly highlighted the need for legislative oversight of the Murphy administration’s flawed COVID-19 response,” Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean said. “Since the majority party has refused our many calls to act, we had no choice but to move forward with independent hearings.” Kean said he “remains hopeful” that Democrats will “realize the importance of pursuing oversight in a bipartisan manner as we have requested.”

The first hearing, scheduled to take place on March 5th, and comprising Republican panelist from the Assembly and Senate, will focus on the impact of Murphy administration policies that may have led to loss of life in nursing homes, veteran homes, and long-term facilities. Additional hearings will focus on Murphy’s executive orders and “underfunded relief programs that hurt small businesses,” as well as the failure’s of the state’s unemployment services and the Motor Vehicle Commission.