Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) shut down a reporter asking why he and other Republicans weren’t wearing masks while speaking at a press conference against Democrat attempts to eliminate the filibuster.
Cruz suggested that it was hypocritical to ask him and his colleagues why they don’t wear a mask to speak but not asking the same question of President Joe Biden or White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, who typically don’t wear masks when speaking to the press.
“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, according to Fox News. “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.”
Before mentioning that particular hypocrisy, Cruz spoke about the “hypocrisy” of the Biden administration for its various COVID-19 policies.
“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.
Cruz also called out Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief medical advisor to President Joe Biden, for his changing stance on masks.
“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,” Cruz said.
During a Capitol Hill hearing on potential changes to mask policies on Tuesday, Fauci and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky were mocked for their apparent differing messages and actions when it comes to masks, The Daily Wire reported. At the hearing, Walensky wore two masks throughout the entire event, even while speaking, even though she is triple vaccinated. Fauci removed his mask while speaking.
“Dr. Fauci is maskless during testimony while Dr. Walensky double masks. The mixed messaging continues,” Dr. Nicole Saphier said on Twitter.
Politico health care reporter Alice Miranda Ollstein also tweeted: “CDC Director Walensky kept her (double) mask on while giving her testimony. Fauci has removed his.”
Fauci’s move came despite Committee Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) asking everyone to keep their masks on even when they were speaking. The hearing was about whether the CDC would update its guidance to recommend N95 or KN95 masks rather than lower quality cloth ones.