United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry is being blasted all over the internet for his decision not to wear a mask while flying on American Airlines on Wednesday.
The move was in apparent violation of the Biden administration’s own recommendations about wearing masks when around others who don’t share your household, and it is being looked on as a disrespectful and hypocritical display of elitism by one of the most entrenched politicians in Washington.
The story was first broken by The Tennessee Star who reported that Kerry was spotted in first class on a flight from Boston to Washington, D.C. when another passenger took a picture of the administration member seemingly reading without any food or drink nearby.
While airline passengers are allowed to remove their masks while consuming food or beverages, in accordance with federal and airline policies.
Fox News validated the photo by tracing its original photographer and ensuring its authenticity. The individual in question, who wished to remain anonymous, told the outlet:
“I salute our Very Special Presidential Envoy for Climate for not flying private but instead flying first-class commercial with the rest of us common folk. And while he can’t bring himself to follow his own party’s mask restrictions, we should cut him some slack.”
“Being an elite hypocrite is hard work!”
The Washington Examiner reported on the same issue, bringing to bear the CDC’s recommendations that have become so familiar to Americans over the past years:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an order that went into effect last month that requires passengers to “wear masks that cover both the mouth and nose when awaiting, boarding, traveling on, or disembarking public conveyances. People must also wear masks when entering or on the premises of a transportation hub in the United States.”
American Airlines issued a press release shortly after, saying the company would fully comply with the new federal mandate, noting that the regulation will also help its employees in enforcing the rules.
The Washington Examiner reportedly reached out for comment from Kerry’s office in the course of their reporting but did not receive an immediate response.
However, hours after their inquiry Kerry tweeted from his official account, “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.”
Critics were unamused, calling out the climate czar for holding himself to a different standard than the average American struggling under the weight of the COVID-19 mandates. However, Democrat leaders have been allowed grace on mask orders, over and over again, while airlines have banned passengers, including autistic children, for not adhering to the rules.
In addition to his violation of the Biden administration’s rules, Kerry was also in violation of the airline’s rules. Twitter users called out American Airlines over the double standard to which the airline replied 0ver and over that they would be “looking into” the situation with Kerry.
The stark hypocrisy was pointed out by one snarky commenter who tweeted, “Just remember that @AmericanAir would harass YOU if YOU dared to remove your mask aboard one of its aircraft. Kerry, like every other Democrat, gets a pass while YOU suffer!”
The airline responded, “We require masks onboard our aircraft and are looking into this.”
The airline reiterated their dedication to the mask mandate in another response regarding the picture of Kerry saying, “Masks are required onboard our aircraft, and we are looking into this.”
