Claiming that he finds it impossible to have a productive conversation while wearing a mask, Florida surgeon general Joseph Ladapo said he attempted to accommodate the needs of the cancer-stricken legislator who kicked him out of a meeting, the Associated Press reports.
“I attempted in good faith to find some way for us to communicate that would respect each of our preferences,” Ladapo said in a statement posted on Twitter. “Having a conversation with someone while wearing a mask is not something I find productive, especially when other options exist.”
Ladapo claimed he offered to meet state senator Tina Polsky last Thursday in a hallway or outside–places where he believes he wouldn’t have to wear a mask–to facilitate the conversation. Polsky informed Ladapo that she had a serious health condition that would require he wear a mask in her presence, but he still refused. She revealed over the weekend that she is fighting breast cancer.
Although he was appointed to the post by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, Ladapo still must be confirmed by the Senate. His appropriateness to be Florida’s surgeon general is being questioned because he’s enacted rules that counter public health needs, like allowing parents to decide if their children to return to school after a COVID exposure and countering federal recommendations on masking.