NEW YORK, NY – Liberal Democratic New York City Mayor, Bill de Blasio, has allegedly seen officers of the New York Police Department not wearing masks. Now, he has decided that any officer who does not wear one should be punished in some manner.
At a news conference on September 30th, de Blasio said:
“Our officers should be held to the same standard as all citizens, all public standards. If they don’t there should be penalties.”
To some it appeared as if de Blasio tried to sound as if he was not against law enforcement and the officers of his own police department by stating that the majority of them do wear masks.
According to the New York Post, when de Blasio was making this statement, there were more than 30 police officers in the building that were not wearing masks. A total of 18 officers were stationed around the press room at 1 Police Plaza, of those, only three had masks on. None of the 16 near the elevator were wearing one.
Critics believe that officers not wearing a mask is dangerous and claim that there have been line of duty deaths that have been somehow attributed to COVID-19. On September 29th, both New York State Senator Brad Hoylman and Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo called on New York Police Commissioner Dermot Shea to enforce the mask rule. Cuomo said:
“Wearing a mask is the law. But the police officer who’s supposed to enforce the law doesn’t wear a mask.”
Cuomo, after all, has a very ongoing public battle with how he views law enforcement. He recently stated as many others across the nation that Breonna Taylor case was a murder. Despite the grand jury ruling her death, although tragic, was in self-defense from her boyfriend who had shot an officer.
Hoylman said:
“I hope he [Shea] would agree that doing so [officers wearing masks] is synonymous with the NYPD’s credo of courtesy, professionalism, and respect.”
Shea and others from the NYPD have alleged that the number of officers not wearing masks have been exaggerated.
Whether or not there are large numbers of officers that are refusing to wear masks, the New York City Police Benevolent Association had filed a health and safety complaint alleging that the city was not providing enough masks and gloves for the officers.
At the time, the complaint was squarely directed at de Blasio and his staff as being the problem.
As of this AM, cops still did not have adequate supplies of mask/gloves. We told NYPD last week, filed health&safety complaint Mon. We were told this AM additional supplies were being delivered, only AFTER we told press of our complaint. YOU are the one spreading misinformation. https://t.co/TfEuUlHHDM
— NYC PBA (@NYCPBA) March 14, 2020
Cuomo, who had issued an executive order in April of this year requiring all people to wear some type of face mask or covering when they cannot social distance, is also asking the police department to set an example for the citizens. He said:
“If you don’t enforce the mask ordinance, you will have a higher infection rate. Those are the facts. We know the facts.”
Many believe Cuomo should acknowledge the mistakes made by his administration required nursing homes to accept COVID-19 positive patients.
Breitbart News, along with numerous other outlets are reporting that on March 25, New York issued a directive which stated, “No resident shall be denied re-admission or admission to the NH [nursing home] solely based on a confirmed or suspected diagnosis of COVID-19.
NHs are prohibited from requiring a hospitalized resident who is determined medically stable to be tested for COVID-19 prior to admission or readmission.”
NY Gov Andrew Cuomo photo YouTube screenclip
An article in the New York Times reported on Friday that several states, including “California, New Jersey and New York have made nursing homes accept Covid-19 patients from hospitals.”
The Times added:
“Although there is no evidence so far that the practice has allowed infections to spread in nursing homes, many residents and advocates fear that it is only a matter of time.”
But with primary results like that of the race between Ed Ramm Jr. and Township Committee incumbent David Hansen gunning for the Republican nomination being a 20 vote difference (with Hansen leading by those 20 votes) – the possibility of missing ballots can certainly create pause.
Watch: Did a hot mic capture two PA Democrats joking about wearing masks for ‘political theater’?
DOYLESTOWN, PA – In a matter of less than 20 seconds, two Pennsylvania Democratic lawmakers have managed to put themselves under the spotlight of scandal, after what seems to be an ill-timed mask quip.
A video circulating on social media appears to show two term Democratic Governor Tom Wolf and Democratic State Representative Wendy Ullman laughing over what Ullman calls, in front of a hot microphone, the “political theater” of wearing masks.
**Hot Mic** PA Gov @TomWolfPA & PA State Representative @RepUllman caught calling facemasks “political theater” pic.twitter.com/N4F2ncDHIx
— Young Republican National Federation (@yrnf) September 29, 2020
The record begins with Wolf’s voice off camera, seeming to say:
“So, Wendy, I’m going to, I’m going to take my mask off when I speak.”
Ullman then turns away from the podium and walks toward Wolf to respond:
“I will, as well. I’m waiting so we can do a little political theater.”
Wolf appears to reply with, “okay” and then the video captures the two of them laughing.
Ullman gets in one last joke to clarify her previous remark, saying:
“So, that it’s on camera.”
As she walks back into frame, she may have realized her error. Ullman points at the hot microphones and then walks away, in the direction of Governor Wolf.
Coincidentally, the remarks were captured before what was supposed to be a news conference in Doylestown, Pennsylvania on the “necessity for affordable health care coverage for Pennsylvanians, especially in the midst of an unprecedented pandemic.”
Ullman posted about the event on her Twitter page, linking to a longer press release. It reads:
“I was proud to join Governor Wolf and Senator Santarsiero today to advocate for the Affordable Care Act, which has been a lifeline for hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians during the COVID-19 pandemic. We must fight to protect the ACA and its life-saving protections for Pennsylvanians with pre-existing conditions.”
I joined Gov. Tom Wolf and state Sen. Steve Santarsiero to stress the necessity for affordable health care coverage for Pennsylvanians, especially in the midst of an unprecedented pandemic. Learn more:https://t.co/z22IXKM0Lf pic.twitter.com/WQZ7zffvoY
— Rep. Wendy Ullman (@RepUllman) September 29, 2020
There was no mention of her pre-press conference comedy routine.
TheBlaze reported that it reached out to the offices of both politicians for comment on the exchange, and to clarify whether the two were joking about the situation. The news outlet said it has not heard back from either.
For Pennsylvanians, the remarks may not translate as laughable.
The state has been under some of the harshest restrictions in the country during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In July, Wolf issues an emergency order forcing Pennsylvanians to wear masks. The mandatory mask order coincided with a policy to limit indoor gathering to 25 people and outdoor gatherings to 250 people.
Earlier this month, a federal judge ruled that the state’s lockdowns, including those ordered by Wolf, are unconstitutional.
CBS Philly reported that the judge said both the stay at home order and the decision to shut down businesses violated the highest law of the land.
In a more than 60-page opinion, the media outlet said the judge wrote:
“There is no question that this country has faced, and will face, emergencies of every sort. But the solution to a national crisis can never be permitted to supersede the commitment to individual liberty that stands as the foundation of the American experiment.”
The orders the judge ruled as unconstitutional have already been suspended in the state. But, the judge did not make a ruling on restaurant restrictions, which are still in place.
At the time, the governor’s office responded to the ruling in a statement that said:
“The administration is disappointed with the result and will seek a stay of the decision and file an appeal. The actions taken by the administration were mirrored by governors across the country and saved, and continue to save lives in the absence of federal action. This decision is especially worrying as Pennsylvania and the rest of the country are likely to face a challenging time with the possible resurgence of COVID-19 and the flu in the fall and winter.”
On Twitter, the backlash to Ullman and Wolf’s not so inside joke was harsh and nearly immediate.
Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania Mayor Jondavid Longo tweeted Wednesday:
“Gov. Wolf and Rep. Ullman caught on hot mic giggling and referring to masks as ‘political theater’ The destruction of the livelihoods of millions of Pennsylvanians is no laughing matter and we don’t find this entertaining.”
Gov. Wolf and Rep. Ullman caught on hot mic giggling and referring to masks as “political theater”
The destruction of the livelihoods of millions of Pennsylvanians is no laughing matter and we don’t find this entertaining pic.twitter.com/M6hoJC15aS
— Mayor Jondavid R. Longo (@JondavidRLongo) September 29, 2020
President Trump’s former national intelligence director, Richard Grenell also posted the video. He captioned it:
“The Pennsylvania Governor is purposefully hurting the economy to score political points. Voters should take note.”
The Pennsylvania Governor is purposefully hurting the economy to score political points.
Voters should take note. https://t.co/9gMgfZgbsG
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) September 29, 2020
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