“4 years ago today, we reopened Atilis Gym in direct violation of an unconstitutional order by Governor Philip Murphy to close small businesses in New Jersey,” says gym owner Ian Smith.
A New Jersey court has dismissed the case against gym owner Ian Smith over 80 citations and violations of Gov. Phil Murphy’s (D) order to close small businesses during the Covid plandemic.
Smith, owner of Atilis Gym in Bellmawr, made a statement on X Saturday breaking the good news.
“4 years ago today, we reopened Atilis Gym in direct violation of an unconstitutional order by Governor Philip Murphy to close small businesses in New Jersey,” Smith posted.
“ALL OF THE 80+ municipal citations of violations of a governor’s order, public nuisance, disturbing the peace, and operating without a license against us have been dropped by the courts WITH prejudice.”
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT – PLEASE SHARE THIS THIS POST.
4 years ago today, we reopened Atilis Gym in direct violation of an unconstitutional order by Governor Philip Murphy to close small businesses in New Jersey.
The support we received locally, nationally, and internationally…
— Ian Smith (@iansmithfitness) May 18, 2024
“This means the State has NO ability to revisit or refile these charges. This victory opens the battlefield again and gives us options to continue to push back and bring justice to the treasonous actions of Phil Murphy and his lackies.”
“Suck my d*ck Phil Murphy,” he added.
Smith and co-owner Frank Trumbetti refused to close Atilis Gym in 2020 after Murphy issued an arbitrary executive order imposing the closure of small “nonessential” businesses to fight the spread of COVID.
A year later, amid litigation against the state over its refusal to close, Murphy seized all $165,000 of the gym’s assets, and Smith was notified he would face a fine of over $15,000 each day the business chose to keep its doors open.
NJ rejects the premise of essential versus nonessential businesses! Ian Smith, owner of Atilis Gym in Bellmar intends to open Monday in a display of civil disobedience #WeStandWithAtilis #reopenNJ #savejersey pic.twitter.com/DovhllKS08
— President-Elect Gab (@LennySaya) May 14, 2020
A state Appeals Court judge also ruled last year that Smith and Trumbetti must pay nearly $124,000 in fines for violating Murphy’s order.
Murphy came much closer to defeat than expected in the 2022 midterms over frustrations relating to COVID restrictions and in the wake of a campaign adviser admitting in undercover video that he planned to impose vaccine mandates AFTER the election.
Now that Smith and Trumbetti have been vindicated, it’s long past time for Murphy to be held accountable for his unconstitutional lockdown orders.
