A.G. Gancarski
A Florida lawmaker took to CNN on Wednesday to advance his crusade against mask requirements, while lauding the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Most of my state is doing just fine,” said Rep. Anthony Sabatini, a Lake County Republican involved in a series of legal challenges to local mask requirements.
In an extended segment with Brianna Keilar , the lawmaker continued to contend that the risk of the virus simply wasn’t what a fear-mongering media contended.
The legislator, who has used the phrase “mask Nazis” to describe those on the other side of the issue, downplayed coronavirus concerns as the state crested 300,000 cases the day before, with positive testing rates continuing to soar.
“The Governor’s response has been on point. The metrics that matter most … we’re doing well,” he said.
Told that hospitals and ICUs are straining under the weight of cases, Sabatini said an “extremely small number” of people in Florida are going to the hospital.
Sabatini also said the idea of Florida being the pandemic “epicenter” was false.
For his part, the representative does not wear a mask to the grocery store.
“The studies I’ve seen,” he said, “say masks OR social distancing. If you’re maintaining basic social distancing like I do, there’s no reason to have an additional mask on top of that.”
Sabatini does not go to the grocery store much, he added, saying he “prefers to eat out.”
“This is Florida. It’s about 100 degrees outside,” the legislator added.
Elsewhere in the interview, Sabatini invoked the “robust privacy clause” in Florida law as defense from having “government tell you what you can do with your own face.”
Sabatini said seatbelt laws were justified because of “state interest in what happens” behind the wheel, compared to mask mandates that say “you have to wear a mask 12 to 14 hours a day, regardless of where you go.”
16 comments
S.B. Anthony
July 15, 2020 at 3:43 pm
OMG! Sabatini is such a nut job. So much easier to wear a mask than a ventilator.
Maybe he’ll learn that the hard way.
Sonja Fitch
July 15, 2020 at 4:20 pm
Lol lol. Looked and talked and ranted just like a damn kook! Failure and stupid! Crazy sociopath! Looked just like that caricature of the “Florida man”. Gaetz is still tops. But fellavyou looking like competition for mattie
Anes11
July 15, 2020 at 4:30 pm
Data doesn’t lie. Masks are BS. Multiple pre-covid studies show this. Florida labs caught faking cases. Oops!
Marc Rose
July 22, 2020 at 7:53 am
You’re right, data doesn’t lie but politicians do
Florida deaths 7 day average in May – 51
Florida deaths 7 day average in July – 114
Keep trying…
martin
July 15, 2020 at 5:03 pm
Sonja, darn it I am starting to agree with some of your posts….
Rojo
July 15, 2020 at 5:23 pm
This guy flew in from planet Moron!
Ocean Joe
July 15, 2020 at 5:59 pm
Howey-in-the-Hills must be so proud!
Hardrock miner
July 15, 2020 at 6:47 pm
Uhm, multiple studies *during* the actual pandemic are clearly demonstrating the effectiveness of masks. But sure, argue with vapor studies from the past…
Sam
July 15, 2020 at 8:00 pm
The IQ of this guy is lower than the IQ of a jellyfish as the animal recognizes danger when it is around (Jellyfish does not have a brain!!!).
-The popular studies that I read!!!
-Obviously he has no idea what epicenter means.
-We are doing fine -> Florida is #1 per capita in the world (2% of these patients will die-> Soon Florida will be #1 in mortality)!!! These guys must be sued and incarcerated. They are killing innocent people.
Honest Guy
July 15, 2020 at 8:13 pm
Typical Florida Republican lacking a single brain cell. And any sense of public or social responsibility beyond his own immediate selfish desires as is so typical of his type (and of Republicans and conservatives generally, particularly in the South).
Frank Labrador
July 16, 2020 at 12:07 am
I could not believe this guy saying Florida is doing fine. Florida, and Miami-Dade County, are the epicenter of the pandemic and he’s playing around with people’s lives. Had folks done their patriotic duty from the start by wearing masks and social distancing, and the Governor followed the CDC game plan before rushing to open before we were ready, we would be doing much better.
BlueHeron
July 16, 2020 at 12:10 am
Yet another batshit (clinical term) “Florida Politician Man” goes on national television thinking he’s so right in his argument.
Did he really think that CNN wanted to interview him for his brilliance and knowledge of this awful crisis here in Florida? He was asked to appear because of his batshit (clinical term) views on masks and his crusade to take all masks to court.
He got punked and doesn’t even know it.
Gerry
July 16, 2020 at 9:18 am
OMG! Why are the radical right sooo against wearing a mask! They want to kill us all.They are all nut jobs! Now look at the numbers in Florida, so high and still they deny the purpose. The Floridians really that oblivious??? This will never end. This is why we need Biden, to set everything straight!!!!
Nancy
July 16, 2020 at 12:20 pm
The country wants to know why Florida is doing so poorly with this pandemic? Just listen to this idiot wrapped in a moron!! If he thinks we are doing “just fine”, I would hate to see what doing “just awful” is. Please remember Sabatini and DiSantis when they are up for reelection! Make sure they do not “help” our state anymore than they already have.
Greg
July 16, 2020 at 1:27 pm
Technically, he is an imbecile.
bluecollarbuddy
July 16, 2020 at 10:14 pm
This CNN reporter did a good job but I’m waiting for the day that someone puts this thing (yes, a thing – not a man) in its place so badly that it can not recover. So smug it’s disgusting. The problem is it’s never had its ass kicked. And by the way, if you ever have the awful experience of meeting it, when it’s not sucking up for a vote, it’ll send chills down your spine. You’ll know something is seriously not right; cold – like ice – like no soul – no empathy – pure selfish motivations.
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