PENNSYLVANIA — Today, thousands of far-right protestors arrived in Harrisburg to protest Pennsylvania’s social distancing guidelines, which are grounded in science, data, and consultation with health care experts. The protestors did not practice social distancing, shouted at health care workers, and celebrated President Trump’s endorsement of similar rallies across the country.
And who was in attendance to praise and participate in this anti-science demonstration? Republican members of your state legislature.
“You beat a global pandemic by following science and the facts, and it is shameful that Harrisburg Republicans blatantly disregard health experts and mislead the public,” said Pennsylvania Democratic Party spokesman Brendan Welch. “We are grateful to Governor Wolf for putting the safety of every Pennsylvanian first and charting a path forward that is guided by science and data.”
Here are some of today’s lowlights.
SEN. JUDY WARD ADMITS PROTESTORS ARE “RISKING THEIR LIVES” BUT STILL WANTS TO RE-OPEN THE ECONOMY, THEN MISLEADS THE PUBLIC:
Source: Cynthia Fernandez, Spotlight PA
SEN. DOUG MASTRIANO DOES NOT UNDERSTAND COMMUNITY SPREAD:
Source: Trip Gabriel, New York Times
REP. AARON BERNSTINE CLAIMS — WHILE STANDING OUTSIDE — THAT HE’S LOCKED IN HIS HOME:
Source: Anna Orso, Spotlight PA
Note: Bernstine’s district includes part of Beaver County, which has one of the highest COVID-19 rates in the Commonwealth
REP. RUSS DIAMOND PUTS PROFITS BEFORE PUBLIC SAFETY
Source: PennLive
GOP HD-147 CANDIDATE ANNAMARIE SCANNAPIECO IS AGAINST STAY AT HOME ORDER BUT STAYS HOME FROM RALLY TO AVOID COVID-19:
Spotlight PA: “Annamarie Scannapieco, who helped organize a “back-to-work” rally that was moved to Monday, is an ER nurse and a Republican running for a state House seat in Montgomery County. She said on Facebook she would no longer attend in person because she didn’t “want to risk the health of potential patients should I happen to come in contact with a COVID-19 infected person.”
MEANWHILE, HEALTH CARE WORKERS STAND UP FOR PUBLIC SAFETY:
PA Post: “As the political rally unfolded nearby, complete with “I’m Proud to Be An American” blasting on the loudspeakers, Yetta Timothy, a certified nursing assistant in Harrisburg, broke down in tears. ‘I’m sitting here and I’m looking at the signs saying open PA with no testing,’ she said, crying. ‘It’s like they don’t care about lives, the people around them or the people they love.’”
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