Ron DeSantis and Joseph Ladapo: Florida’s Very Own COVID Clown Show

October 26, 2021

As if we needed further proof that the COVID-19 pandemic killing Floridians is nothing more than a political cudgel to Governor Ron DeSantis, his hiring of Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo has taken it to a whole new level. Between refusing to disclose his vaccination status, his continued mockery of mask mandates, and his full embrace of anti-vaccine rhetoric, Ladapo’s anti-science approach to dealing with COVID isn’t exactly encouraging to Floridians who have already experienced one of the worst COVID responses in the country.

DeSantis’ surgeon general won’t share his vaccines status, is anti-science, and anti-mask:

Politico: “Florida surgeon general nominee Joseph Ladapo, who has publicly questioned the effectiveness of Covid-19 vaccines, will not say if he’s been vaccinated against coronavirus after he was booted last week from the office of a cancer-stricken state senator.”

Politico: “Gov. Ron DeSantis picked the controversial Ladapo last month because of his reticence toward Covid-19 pandemic safety measures such as wearing face masks and relying on vaccines to slow down spread, which are in line with the Republican governor.”

Associated Press: “Florida’s top health official was asked to leave a meeting after refusing to wear a mask at the office of a state senator who told him she had a serious medical condition, officials have confirmed.”
 
Associated Press: “A day into his job, Ladapo signed new rules allowing parents to decide whether their children should quarantine or stay in school after being exposed to people who tested positive for COVID-19.”

Joseph Ladapo and is clearly unfit to serve as Florida’s top doctor and Floridians should be furious at DeSantis for appointing him:

Orlando Sentinel Editorial: “What kind of person — what kind of physician — refuses such a simple request from a cancer patient in the midst of a pandemic caused by a highly contagious and deadly airborne virus?”

Orlando Sentinel Editorial: “Everyone should be furious about Ladapo’s boorish behavior. If he’s willing to put a cancer patient at risk to satisfy his ego, how can Floridians possibly trust Ladapo to act in their best interests?”

DeSantis has made it increasingly clear that he does not care about the health of his constituents as he continues to let Florida descend into “Crazyville.”

Miami Herald Editorial: “Nothing can hide Florida’s descent into Crazyville. Not the ‘Don’t Tread on Florida’ alligator signs held by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ supporters at his latest COVID-19 policy proposal announcement. Not the state’s new Ivy League-educated surgeon general, Dr. Joseph Ladapo, who, as reported by FloridaPolitics.com, refused — refused! — to wear a mask when he met with state Sen. Tina Polsky in her office in Tallahassee. The state senator, who represents parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties, has cancer. Crazy.”

Miami Herald Editorial: “We thought things couldn’t get much worse in DeSantis’ handling of the pandemic, but we were wrong — then we were wrong again. Just when you think he’s done enough to undermine our chances of exiting a pandemic that has killed nearly 60,000 Floridians, he has a new trick up his sleeve.”