Daily Wire host Candace Owens is raising concerns to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) after being denied a COVID-19 test from a facility in Aspen, Colorado, over her political views.
“UPDATE. It turns out the facility that rejected my ability to take a Covid test receives both state and federal funding,” Owens posted to Twitter Thursday evening. “So no— she had NO RIGHT to deny me a covid test when my taxes go toward her operations.”
“This situation is currently being escalated to the HHS,” she added. “Stay tuned!”
UPDATE. It turns out the facility that rejected my ability to take a Covid test receives both state and federal funding.
So no— she had NO RIGHT to deny me a covid test when my taxes go toward her operationsThis situation is currently being escalated to the HHS.
Stay tuned!
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) September 2, 2021
Suzanna Lee and her business partner Isaac Flanagan of Aspen COVID Testing maintain they do not receive any taxpayer funding.
Owens on Wednesday alerted followers that she was denied the Covid test from Lee, showing off emails as proof of the interaction.
And yes—for the “she must be lying” crowd, I will be plastering the e-mail on Twitter and Instagram thereafter for the world to see.
The public Heath crisis is SO REAL, that they are now banning individuals from COMPLYING with rules to ensure they don’t spread COVID.
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) September 2, 2021
“Here is the email from the rabid activist declining to give me a test, plus my response to her,” Owens commented on social media. “She clearly isn’t stable enough to work in health and is a danger to the Aspen community.”
In an email dated Aug. 31, Lee wrote to Owens, “We cannot support anyone who has pro-actively worked to make this pandemic worse by spreading misinformation, politicizing and DISCOURAGING the wearing of masks and actively dissuading people from receiving life-saving vaccinations.”
“My team and myself have worked overtime, to exhaustion, unpaid and underpaid this past year, spending our own capital to ensure that our community remains protected,” Lee said. “It would be unfair to them and to the sacrifices we have all made this year to serve you.”
In her response, Owens wrote: “I wanted to let you know that this might objectively be the most hilarious email I have ever received in my life. Truly, I’ve never laughed harder.”
“Nothing screams ‘this virus isn’t political’ quite like Googling the names of the people who book tests with you and determining on a case-by-case basis whether or not you will let them comply with your community Covid measures,” Owens snapped back.
“Nothing screams ‘I love my local community’ quite like refusing to test people who are going to a local event and wish to ensure they are negative and therefore do not spread the virus.”
“That nobody stopped you from hitting ‘send’ on such an emotionally unstable and hysterical email leads me to believe that the people who work for you must love me, and therefore never deny me this entrainment,” Owens said.
“It’s hard to pick just one, but I think the best part of your virtue-signaling rant is the arrogant assumption that you’re the only person who can administer a Covid test from here to Texas,” Owens closed the email, before adding a “LOL.”
Just finished my live on Instagram here: https://t.co/lPjhqVYaGO
As promised— here is the email from the rabid activist declining to give me a test, plus my response to her. She clearly isn’t stable enough to work in health and is a danger to the Aspen community. pic.twitter.com/nV7xMGqVN3
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) September 2, 2021
Lee told the Aspen Times that she stands by her decision to deny Owens a test, claiming the political commentator was a risk to her staff.
“We stand behind our staff and we’re not sending them to someone’s hotel room when they don’t feel safe,” Lee said.
Notably, Owens said in an Instagram story posted Thursday night that she was never staying at a hotel in Aspen. “Suzanna Lee is crazy,” Owens said. “She is sick in the head.”
Alternatively, Flanagan told the paper the facility would have tested Owens had she shown symptoms or was “a potential risk to the community,” but denied her in the apparent “non-emergency scenario for someone working proactively to undermine the realities of this devastating pandemic.”
Some left-wing Covid-alarmists cheered Owens being denied a test, which could have potentially left the conservative to unknowingly infect others. (Note: Owens had a doctor test her to ensure everyone’s safety, and the results were negative.)
Notably, MSNBC host Joy Reid cheered Lee for the denial, posting to Twitter, “Good evening to Suzanna and Suzanna only.”
Others who dislike Owens’ views, like pollster Frank Luntz, admitted that “denying someone a medical service due to their political beliefs is not a path we should want to go down.”
Thousands of social media users tweeted in support of Owens, who trended on Twitter most of the day Thursday.