Florida surgeon general comes under attack from the left
Dr. Joseph Ladapo explains on 'Tucker Carlson Tonight' why the left's targeting him as he makes 'data-based decisions about public health in Florida.'
Dr. Uché Blackstock went on a rant against Florida's surgeon general, Joseph Ladapo, on MSNBC's "ReidOut" Wednesday, saying she was "shocked" his license had not been revoked over his stance on COVID-19.
"I mean, essentially, he's violating the Hippocratic Oath – which is do no harm. So every time he gets up there at a press conference or a hearing, and says something that is anti-science, he's violating the Hippocratic Oath. And at this point, I am shocked that his license hasn't been suspended or revoked," she said.
Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo and Gov. Ron DeSantis (Joe Cavaretta/Sun Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
The segment highlighted a hearing at a Florida Senate committee in which Ladapo was grilled on vaccines. The legislature's Democrats, disappointed with the responses, walked out of the hearing and said they would not vote to confirm Ladapo.
Ladapo had said during the hearing that he believes vaccines are effective at preventing severe COVID-19 cases.
"They [vaccines] reduce the risk of hospitalization and death from COVID-19 … I don’t think the objective of public health is coercion. I think it’s education, and I think it’s to allow people to make choices, so they don’t feel coerced," said Ladapo to reporters.
Florida State Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo (Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Blackstock also said that she was "mortified" to have attended the same prestigious medical school as Ladapo, who was appointed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis in September. The MSNBC guest added an ominous statement saying, "We need to round up our girls and go down there and get this man because he is dangerous."
FLORIDA SURGEON GENERAL, ATTACKED BY LEFT, PROMISES STATE WON'T BE 'SENSELESS' IN COVID RESPONSE
"I think [Ladapo] has ulterior motives: power, influence, money – is probably also very important to him. I don't think he actually believes vaccines are [not] effective. I bet he is vaccinated and boosted. I bet his entire family is. I bet his children, if they're eligible, are also vaccinated. So this is all because of politics, because he has not prioritized ... his medical duties."
Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Florida's Department of Health Communications Director Weesam Koury released a statement to Fox News following Joy Reid's segment saying, "We wish Joy well and hope she finds peace."
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"We don’t feel that we are getting any answers met," a state Democrat said after the hearing. "We know that there is a long agenda today with a lot of bills. So the Florida Senate Democrats in this committee now are going to abstain, walk out and come back when we have more business to attend to."
Even without their colleagues on the left side of the aisle, Republicans voted to confirm Ladapo.