Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) is going after Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) for not wearing a mask in the Senate.
During a visit to a Columbus mass vaccination site on Tuesday, Brown acknowledged most senators wear masks, but then mentioned Paul.
âOne of them thatâs an M.D., isnât, but heâs kind of a lunatic,â Brown said, as reported by the Cincinnati Enquirer.
He continued, âHe thinks he wants to be different but it doesnât serve the public interest.â
A spokeswoman for Paul responded, âVaccine deniers, who dispute immunity after natural infection and after vaccination, should refrain from name-calling and perhaps try to get informed.â
In March, Paul engaged in a heated conversation with Dr. Anthony Fauci over whether people who are vaccinated against COVID-19 should wear masks, as IJR previously reported.
âYouâre telling everybody to wear a mask, whether theyâve had an infection or vaccine. What Iâm saying is they have immunity, and everybody agrees they have immunity,â Paul said during a Senate hearing.
He added, âWhat studies do you have that people whoâve had the vaccine or have had the infection are spreading the infection? If weâre not spreading the infection isnât it just theater?â
Fauci replied, âNo, itâs notâŚâ
Paul pushed back, âYou have the vaccine, and youâre wearing two masks, isnât that theater?â
Fauci responded, âHere we go again with the theater.â
The health expert later hit back at Paul for the exchange, as IJR previously reported.
âHe completely does not take into account the variants. He quotes literature which is selective in how he quotes it,â Fauci said.
When talking about people being âtiredâ of restrictions amid the pandemic, Fauci said, âWeâre not saying doing this indefinitely. Weâre not saying this is the way itâs going to have to be all the time. Weâre saying that if you look at the data and look at the science, there is a chance that you can get in trouble if you pull back too prematurely.â
