Senators vent frustrations on COVID testing, quarantine policies at hearing
Dr. Anthony Fauci and CDC Director Rochelle Walensky field heated questions on Capitol Hill; Fox News' Chad Pergram has a recap.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, slammed his fists on a podium in frustration Tuesday as he attacked what he deemed media hypocrisy on masking.
During a press conference speaking out against Democrats trying to eliminate the filibuster, a reporter questioned Cruz about him and his fellow Republicans not wearing masks. Cruz quickly shot down the question and angrily asked why the "questions are only directed at one side" on masks.
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Sen. Ted Cruz speaks during a television interview in response to President Biden's first address to a joint session of the Congress, at the U.S. Capitol, April 28, 2021. (Reuters/Erin Scott/File Photo)
"And by the way, on the question of hypocrisy, you just asked, you people at the podium are speaking without masks. Just once, I'd like to see a reporter say to Joe Biden when he stands at the damn podium in the White House without a mask, 'Mr. President, why aren't you wearing a mask?'" Cruz said angrily. "Just once, I’d like to see you say to Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, when she stands at the podium with no mask, ‘Ms. Psaki, why don’t you have a mask?’ The questions are only directed at one side, and I got to say that the American people see the hypocrisy."
Twice, Cruz thumped his hands on the podium for effect.
Prior to this answer, Cruz also called out the "wild hypocrisy" on the part of President Biden and his administration regarding COVID-19 policies.
The exchange began at the 51:50 mark below, as the reporter noted what she called the "glaring visual" of most of the assembled media wearing masks indoors.
President Biden removes his face mask as he arrives to speak from the White House campus, Oct. 14, 2021. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
"I think there’s been wild hypocrisy from the Biden administration when it comes to COVID policies [on] mask mandates where Joe Biden rightly said we shouldn’t have mandates, [on] vaccine mandates where Joe Biden said we shouldn’t have vaccine mandates. As far as I know, everyone here has been vaccinated, double vaccinated, been boosted at some point," Cruz said.
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He added, "I do know Dr. Fauci’s been all over the map about it. He’s said yes masks, no masks, he’s said, ‘Oh, I lied to the American people because they couldn’t handle it.’ At some point, the American people ought to be able to exercise their own freedom and make their decision."
(Fox News)
Cruz has declared since April 2021 that he was through wearing masks after being vaccinated against COVID-19. He has been repeatedly criticized by reporters for refusing to wear a mask during press events.
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