TV news outlets in Rep. Gohmert's district mostly failed to cover his dangerous misinformation about
TV news outlets in Rep. Gohmert’s district mostly failed to cover his dangerous misinformation about face mask use
WRITTEN BY ZACHARY PLEAT
PUBLISHED 07/31/20 3:14 PM EDT
Republican Rep. Louie Gohmert, who represents the 1st Congressional District in Texas, tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Wednesday. Gohmert has regularly failed to wear a protective face mask, and after he absurdly blamed his infection on the times he did wear a mask, TV news coverage from outlets in his district failed to correct his dangerous misinformation, potentially misleading viewers -- Gohmert’s own constituents -- about the necessity of wearing masks to protect themselves and others.
Gohmert was tested during mandatory coronavirus screening before a planned trip with President Donald Trump to Texas, which he did not participate in. CNN reported that the news of his positive diagnosis caused issues on Capitol Hill because of his flagrant disregard for coronavirus safety measures. Many staffers and other congressional members isolated themselves and got tested, and the news led House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to require masks on the House floor and in congressional office buildings. ABC News congressional reporter Katherine Faulders wrote on Twitter that Gohmert returned to his office to tell his staff in person of his diagnosis, potentially exposing them to the virus. Politico’s Jake Sherman reported that Gohmert routinely endangered his staffers by requiring them to work in the office and discouraging them from wearing protective face masks.
After news of his diagnosis spread on Wednesday, Gohmert gave an interview to television station KETK, an NBC affiliate serving his congressional district in Tyler and Longview, Texas. During the interview he irresponsibly blamed the few times he wore a face mask for his infection, saying: “I can’t help but think that if I hadn’t been wearing a mask so much in the last 10 days or so, I really wonder if I would have gotten it. But I know, you know, moving the mask around, getting it just right, I’m bound to put some virus on the mask that I sucked in.” The reporter noted that “health experts are saying you should wear [face masks] even if you do not” have coronavirus.
Sadly, most news reports from this and other stations in Gohmert’s district covering his positive diagnosis in the 24 hours following this interview failed to mention recommendations from health experts on using face masks.
More:
https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/tv-news-outlets-rep-gohmerts-district-mostly-failed-cover-his-dangerous
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