Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH-04) continually questioned Dr. Anthony Fauci about whether protests cause the spread of the coronavirus during the House’s coronavirus hearing on Friday.
Despite Jordan’s repeated attempts to get Fauci to answer this question, Fauci side-stepped the question and said that he didn’t have “any scientific evidence that protests spread the coronavirus,” but rather it was crowds that increased the “acquisition and transmission” of the coronavirus.
The continuing back and forth between Jordan and Fauci about “protests” and “crowds” ensued throughout the Ohio Representative’s five-minute questioning period.
At the beginning of his time, Jordan asked Fauci if protests increase the spread of the virus.
Instead of mentioning the word protest, Fauci said that “crowding particular together when not wearing a mask contributes to the spread of the virus.”
Jordan followed up by inquiring Fauci on whether the government should limit protests. Fauci said that he was not in a “position to determine what the government could do in a forceful way.”
“I’m not favoring anybody over anybody, I am just making a broad statement… avoid crowds of any type no matter where you are because that leads to the acquisition and transition,” Fauci said.
“I don’t judge one crowd versus another crowd,” he added.
Despite Fauci hesitating to discuss the ongoing protests, he has said previously that it was OK to hook up with asymptomatic people and said the MLB should not play baseball deep into the fall.
Fauci said he does not opine on limiting anything but rather “what the danger is” of going around large crowds.
“You should stay away from crowds no matter where the crowds are,” the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said.
As Jordan’s five minutes came to a close, he questioned Fauci one last time on protests.
“Do you understand Americans’ concern? You can’t go to work, you can’t go to school, you can’t go to church. There are limits placed on all three of these fundamental activities, but protesting is just fine.”
Fauci did not respond to this question as Rep James Clyburn (D-SC-06) ended Jordan’s questioning period before he could answer.
Rep. @Jim_Jordan asks if protests should be limited.
Dr. Anthony Fauci: "I'm not going to opine on limiting anything. I'm telling you what it is the danger is. You can make your own conclusion about that. You should stay away from crowds no matter where the crowds are." pic.twitter.com/DfgmahK35F
— CSPAN (@cspan) July 31, 2020
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Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of Star News Digital Media. If you have any tips, email Zachery at [email protected]. Follow Zachery on Twitter @zacheryschmidt2.
Photo “Jim Jordan” by CSPAN.
