John Kerry employed a word favored by President Biden to respond to the controversy surrounding a photo of him on a flight not wearing a mask, appearing to flout a federal mandate meant to curb the spread of COVID-19.
“Feels like there’s some St. Patrick’s day ‘malarkey’ afoot on Twitter. Let’s be clear: If I dropped my mask to one ear on a flight, it was momentary. I wear my mask because it saves lives and stops the spread. It’s what the science tells us to do,” Kerry said in a tweet Wednesday evening.
Feels like there’s some St. Patrick’s day “malarkey” afoot on Twitter. Let’s be clear: If I dropped my mask to one ear on a flight, it was momentary. I wear my mask because it saves lives and stops the spread. It’s what the science tells us to do.
— Special Presidential Envoy John Kerry (@ClimateEnvoy) March 17, 2021
He was responding to a photo published by the Tennessee Star, showing the U.S. special presidential envoy for climate reading a book with his mask hanging off one ear while sitting next to another passenger.
@TheTNStar Exclusive: Biden’s @ClimateEnvoy John Kerry, took off his mask as he settled into a book in his first-class seat just before takeoff today on an @AmericanAir flight Boston to DC. He was not eating, nor drinking. He was simply flaunting Biden’s mandatory mask policy. pic.twitter.com/t1wDq9OtxD
— ReporterMcCabe (@NeilWMcCabe2) March 17, 2021
This would appear to put him in violation of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mandate requiring masks on all flights.
The report said Kerry was in a first-class seat on American Airlines flight AA2129 from Boston to Washington, D.C., just before takeoff.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Before Kerry’s missive, American Airlines tweeted in response to the photo: “Masks are required on board our aircraft, and we are looking into this.”
The company issued a lengthier statement to Fox News offering an update on the inquiry.
“Masks are required on board our aircraft. Our team works diligently to make sure customers are wearing masks properly as they travel with us, and flight attendants pass through the cabin several times during flight to ensure compliance,” a spokesperson said. “The crew did not observe Secretary Kerry without a mask, and they were not alerted by other customers to a non-compliance issue. We continue to review the matter and we are reaching out to Secretary Kerry to underscore that all customers are expected to wear masks for the duration of their trip.”
