Ocasio-Cortez Says Putting Pence in Charge of Coronavirus Effort 'Irresponsible' Because He 'Literally Does Not Believe in Science'

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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez late Wednesday condemned President Donald Trump's decision to put Vice President Mike Pence in charge of the administration's coronavirus response as an "utterly irresponsible" move that could have deadly consequences.

"It's like putting an arsonist in charge of the fire department, a bank robber in charge of the U.S. Mint."

"Mike Pence literally does not believe in science," tweeted Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat. "It is utterly irresponsible to put him in charge of U.S. coronavirus response as the world sits on the cusp of a pandemic. This decision could cost people their lives. Pence's past decisions already have."

Ocasio-Cortez pointed to Pence's tenure as Indiana governor, where he she said his "science denial contributed to one of the worst HIV outbreaks in Indiana's history."

"He is not a medical doctor. He is not a health expert," Ocasio-Cortez wrote. "He is not qualified nor positioned in any way to protect our public health."

Mike Pence literally does not believe in science. It is utterly irresponsible to put him in charge of US coronavirus response as the world sits on the cusp of a pandemic. This decision could cost people their lives. Pence’s past decisions already have. https://t.co/NhMPOusOWm — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 27, 2020 As governor, Pence’s science denial contributed to one of the worst HIV outbreaks in Indiana’s history. SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT Support Our People-Powered Media Model Today If you believe the survival of independent media is vital to a healthy democracy, please step forward with a donation to nonprofit Common Dreams today:

He is not a medical doctor. He is not a health expert. He is not qualified nor positioned in any way to protect our public health.

https://t.co/1jVY44p2HF — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 27, 2020

The Verge reported following Trump's announcement Wednesday that as governor of Indiana, Pence "slashed public health spending and delayed the introduction of needle exchanges, which led to the state's worst outbreak of HIV."

Gregg Gonsalves—a Yale epidemiologist who co-authored a 2018 paper connecting Pence's policy decisions as governor to the 2014 HIV outbreak in Scott County, Indiana—denounced the president's decision to allow Pence to coordinate the administration's coronavirus response.

"Over 200 people were infected with HIV in an outbreak, met with ignorance, bumbling, incompetence, and ideological intransigence. Two hundred needlessly infected, now on medication for life at great costs to themselves and the state," Gonsalves tweeted Thursday morning. "Now Donald Trump has put Mike Pence in charge of coronavirus."

"It's like putting an arsonist in charge of the fire department, a bank robber in charge of the U.S. Mint," Gonsalves added. "Donald Trump made the choice of putting someone absolutely not up to the task to this crucial position. It endangers us all. This isn't a Republican or Democratic issue—we have the potential for coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. and we needed to rise above the partisan fray."

b3traist on February 27th, 2020 at 12:53 UTC »

Japan canceled school until April in Mainland. My church has cancelled worship for the foreseeable future. Lock down on all travel from South Korea, and Hong Kong are in effect for all military. A individual is experiencing symptoms again after being healthy for a week. Numerous sporting events have been cancelled. Local news is talking about summer olympics being cancelled. Yet this administration says there is nothing to worry about folks, that is if it spreads.

Thinkingonsleeping on February 27th, 2020 at 12:46 UTC »

We are seriously fucked with a man like Pence in charge who wished to pray away the HIV. There are so many well qualified scientists who know exactly what is going on and what needs to happen. Too bad we have a science denier in office.

Trump the anti-vaxer

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump Healthy young child goes to doctor, gets pumped with massive shot of many vaccines, doesn't feel good and changes - AUTISM. Many such cases! 8:35 AM · Mar 28, 2014·Twitter for Android

edit to add old tweet from rotten orange

Comfortably_Dumb- on February 27th, 2020 at 11:52 UTC »

Just wait until Mike Pence starts his “Pray Away the Death” initiative. I bet it’ll solve everything