New Jersey gala attended by Rep. Matt Gaetz that ignored COVID rules prompts restaurant closure

A New Jersey restaurant that hosted a political gala put on by a New York Republican club was ordered temporarily closed Friday over potential violations of coronavirus guidelines.

Photos and video posted on Twitter showed dozens of maskless partiers at the New York Young Republican Club event Thursday night in Jersey City, some of whom tweeted taunting messages to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat.

Among the attendees was U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican, and conservative political activist James O’Keefe.

Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, a Democrat, said in an emailed statement that the event at the Maritime Parc restaurant in Liberty State Park was “an egregious violation” of state coronavirus guidelines and that he was ordering the restaurant temporarily closed.

Read more: https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-12-05/gala-ignites-political-dispute-over-covid-19-restrictions