Scott Powers
Democratic Rep. Stephanie Murphy said Monday that one of the reasons she took the COVID-19 vaccine last week was to protect herself and others from unsafe behavior by some of her colleagues in Congress.
Murphy, of Winter Park, told Hallie Jackson during an interview on MSNBC Live with Hallie Jackson Monday morning that, of course, she and many other members of Congress took the vaccine in recent days, near the front of the line of 330 million Americans, based on several obvious reasons: Strong advice from House and Senate physicians, the concept of continuity of government, and to set good, public examples to help boost Americans’ confidence in the safety of the vaccine.
But Murphy offered another reason, one that implied a harsh accusation of public health irresponsibility by her colleagues who are not taking COVID-19 seriously enough.
She didn’t get specific. She certainly didn’t name names. But she dropped hints that she was referring to some of her Republican colleagues in Congress.
“I also took this vaccine, frankly, because some of my colleagues have become super spreaders,” Murphy said. “And I’m required to get on a flight on a weekly basis, traveling to and from Washington. And these colleagues who refuse to follow the advice of public health officials, who won’t wear masks in the Capitol, who attend crowded holiday parties at the White House, and downplay the virus, they are putting us at risk, because we can be a giant vector that spreads out across this country.”
“I think it is the responsible thing to take the vaccine when the public health officials identify that it is the right time to do so,” she added.
She was among numerous members of Congress who publicly announced they have taken the Pfizer vaccine, along with Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, and Democratic Reps. Charlie Crist of St. Petersburg and Darren Soto of Kissimmee.
Rep. Brian Mast, a Stuart Republican, last week sharply criticized Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi for the decision to allow members of Congress to receive the vaccine before the vast majority of Americans.
