COLUMBIA, SC — Governor Henry McMaster’s failure to successfully lead South Carolina through the pandemic has resulted in an increase of cases and hospitalizations across the state with the rise of the Delta variant. Just last week the CDC had to update their guidance on masks because states like South Carolina refused to push for vaccinations. That has not stopped Henry McMaster from politicizing COVID by going on FOX News and downplaying the severity of the virus.
When asked about these harrowing statistics, McMaster took pride in his Republican legislation banning masks in schools and doubled down on his refusal to institute a mask mandate.
- 258% increase in COVID cases
- 129% increase in hospitalizations
- 17% increase in deaths
The Republican legislation known as Act 388, which relies on sales tax rather than property tax to fund schools across the state, is the reason McMaster will continue to sacrifice lives for sales tax through Labor Day. He cares more about the money than our people.
In the interview McMaster also stated “we have a very fine Department of Health and Environmental Control here in South Carolina” despite completely ignoring the department’s guidance for K-12 schools which states, “DHEC strongly recommends mask use for all people when indoors in school settings.”
“When it comes to COVID-19 precautions, Henry McMaster has thrown caution to the wind, decrying masks in schools to protect unvaccinated children and refusing federal assistance to push the vaccine, which South Carolina desperately needs,” said SCDP Chair Trav Robertson, Jr. “By refusing to show an ounce of leadership throughout this pandemic, Henry has proven that he is unqualified to lead our state. His own communications director said ‘he thinks the population of South Carolina simply wouldn’t listen, even if the governor put a [mask] mandate in place.’ What does that say about Henry’s leadership abilities?”
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