Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday criticized President Joe Biden over his vaccine mandate, saying it was hypocritical not to hold Congress to the same standard as the general public.
DeSantis addressed a packed press conference Monday in Newberry, Florida, slamming Biden for his vaccine mandate, according to Breitbart. The Florida governor wondered aloud why members of Congress are exempt if the administration is following the science.
In referencing a Florida law that prohibits vaccine passports, DeSantis told the crowd, "if a government agency in the state of Florida forces a vaccine as a condition of employment, that violates the Florida law."
But Biden's mandate is problematic, DeSantis said.
"So they're issuing this mandate for private sector employees but also for all federal employees, but they're exempting the post office. They're exempting members of Congress and members of Congress's staff? So how does that work? Can someone explain the science to me?" he said.
The governor went on to mention that while he doesn't believe Post Service employees should be forced into vaccination, the application of the mandate makes it clear that the Biden administration is not following the science.
"If you're going to mandate and say you're following science, and you exempt a major part of the federal workforce and you exempt Congress, and you exempt the staff of Congress — you know, when I was in Congress I actually proposed the 28th Amendment. Congress shouldn't make any law that doesn't apply to them," he added.
"So if you're somebody who's working at — I don't think postal [workers] should be forced, don't get me wrong — but Biden thinks everyone should be forced, except if you deliver mail. Somehow that's fine."
"But if you're somebody, a nurse who's been working in the ICU for a private hospital for a year and a half treating COVIID patients and likely has already had COVID, that somehow you're going to get fired unless you follow the mandate — how does that make sense at all?" DeSantis added.
"It doesn't. This is all political. It's all about using government, and it's wrong," the Republican governor concluded, adding that the mandates would be fought and defeated.