PBS and NPR for Southwest Florida
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Florida surgeon general refuses mask, is told to leave meeting with state senator

Rep. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton, debates during a session Tuesday March 10, 2020, in Tallahassee, Florida's top health official was asked to leave a meeting after refusing to wear a mask at the office of the state senator who told him she had a serious medical condition.
Steve Cannon
/
AP
Rep. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton, debates during a session Tuesday March 10, 2020, in Tallahassee, Florida's top health official was asked to leave a meeting after refusing to wear a mask at the office of the state senator who told him she had a serious medical condition.

Florida's top health official was asked to leave a meeting after refusing to wear a mask at the office of a state senator who told him she had a serious medical condition.

Florida Senate President Wilton Simpson sent a memo to senators saying it was disappointing to learn of the incident at the office of Democratic state Sen. Tina Polsky and asking visitors to be respectful.

Dr. Joseph Ladapo offered to go outside but the senator wanted to meet in her office.

Polsky was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, but had not made it public.

Ladapo had asked to meet Polsky in Tallahassee as he seeks confirmation in the Senate after being named to the post by Gov. Ron DeSantis last month.

Copyright 2021 WUSF Public Media - WUSF 89.7. To see more, visit WUSF Public Media - WUSF 89.7.

Tags
The Associated Press is one of the largest and most trusted sources of independent newsgathering, supplying a steady stream of news to its members, international subscribers and commercial customers. AP is neither privately owned nor government-funded; instead, it's a not-for-profit news cooperative owned by its American newspaper and broadcast members.