Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti is getting hammered by conservatives for his explanation of why he felt it was safe to remove his mask when he posed for photos at the NFC Championship game in Los Angeles last week.
Photos of Garcetti, California Governor Gavin Newsom and San Francisco Mayor London Breed popped up on social media showing all three posing at SoFi Stadium with former Lakers star Magic Johnson without face masks, in violation of Los Angeles County’s mask mandate.
During a press conference Wednesday, Garcetti was asked about his maskless photo with the NBA legend. In response, Garcetti said that because he held his breath while he was not wearing the mask, there was no chance of infection.
“I wore my mask the entire game and when people ask for a photograph, I hold my breath and I put it here,” he said, referring to his mask, “and people could see that. There’s a zero percent chance of infection from that.”
But several prominent conservatives are not buying Garcetti’s defense about holding his breath. Instead, they responded mockingly, calling out Garcetti for his response to the photo, with some even bringing up former President Bill Clinton.
“Following Bill Clinton’s example, his defense is “I didn’t inhale!,” Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz said on Twitter.
Donald Trump Jr. also took a similar stance. “I held my breath is the new ‘I didn’t inhale’,” he tweeted. “These people are idiots.”
“From now on, if someone bugs you about not wearing a mask, tell them: 1) The spirit moved you (Mayor London Breed, SF) 2) You were holding your breath (Mayor Eric Garcetti, LA),” Conservative commentator and writer Ben Shapiro posted on Twitter.
“It is impossible to make fun of lib politicians sufficiently in the era of covid,” Radio host Buck Sexton opined. “Their hypocrisy and lack of self awareness is beyond parody. Look at this abject idiot.”
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Former WWE wrestler and current mayor of Knox County, Tennessee Glenn Jacobs chimed in with, “Fun fact: Japanese “ama” (female pearl divers) can hold their breath for up to two minutes while swimming underwater. Not so fun fact: politicians aren’t usually pearl divers.”
“The pandemic has exposed the condescending hypocrisy of the liberal elites and the radical indoctrination that is taking place in our schools,” Former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker tweeted. “Hopefully both will lead to dramatic change in 2022!”
Newsom, when asked about his not wearing a mask at the NFL playoff game, said that he did, in fact, exercise sound judgment. He insisted that he was “very judicious” in his mask-wearing and that except for the photograph with the former Lakers point guard, he wore it the rest of the time, “as we all should.” As for Breed, this wasn’t the first time she was caught in violation of a mask mandate. In September last year, she appeared to be violating San Francisco’s mask mandate while out a nightclub.
According to Los Angeles County’s Public Health website, “everyone 2 years of age and older must wear a mask in all indoor public places and at outdoor Mega Events, whether they have been vaccinated or not.”
Newsweek reached out to the mayor’s office for comment but did not hear back before publication.
