TRENTON, NJ – In response to a call to boycott Russian gasoline, Russian investments, and Russian products, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy today warned New Jersey residents of higher prices at the pump but said it’s a necessary measure.
Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin invade his sovereign neighbor, Ukraine. In the twelve days since the invasion, thousands of Ukrainians, including women and children have been slaughtered at the hands of Putin’s invading army.
Governor Murphy said the state will divest from publicly held Russian financial interests and called on a nationwide boycott of Russian oil.
“At this point with Russia given what Putin is doing in Ukraine, we’re all going to have to swallow hard and take it. This is completely unlawful,” Murphy said on the NBC Squak Box program. “This guy is a complete and utter thug. He’s a war criminal and if it means we all have to take a little bit of pain to break this guy then that’s what it’s going to take because that’s what we need to do.”
Murphy said he will look into ways to reduce fuel costs for New Jerseyans, but has so far ignored the possibility of temporarily lifting the hefty state gas tax.
Each gallon of gas in New Jersey comes with a 42 cent tax imposed by Trenton. Murphy has so far ignored calls to either repeal the gas tax or put a temporary hold on it while prices now encroach the $5 per gallon range in some parts of the state.