Tim Pool draws parallels between de Blasio's vaccine mandate and segregation
Podcaster Tim Pool joins 'Fox News Primetime'
Independent journalist and podcaster Tim Pool told Fox News on Wednesday that he thoroughly researched New York Mayor Bill de Blasio's blanket vaccine mandate for the Big Apple, noting the lack of exceptions for immunocompromised people and other potential ADA exemptions reflect an institutionalization of segregation by force.
De Blasio's order mandates any citizen seeking to engage in most venues of indoor commerce to prove they have received their jab, whether by the paper card standardized by the CDC, or by New York State's "Excelsior" pass app championed by outgoing Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Pool told "Fox News Primetime" that he reached out to the city-run "311" hotline, a collect-all for questions about city policies or for residents to report various quality of life concerns, and asked the operator about how to get an exemption for an immunocompromised producer who works for his podcast.
"Immediately they said no. And before I even finished my question I said are there any medical exemptions? -- No. -- Seriously?" he recalled to host Will Cain.
"Well, somebody has, say epilepsy or M.S./multiple sclerosis, they are not able to get the vaccine -- the woman said no," he said.
"This affects me personally. Fans of our show know that my producer has multiple sclerosis and is unable to get the vaccine. That means we are not going to be going to this city. So I asked [the 311 operator] ‘my friend who has M.S. and cannot get the vaccine will not be welcome indoors in New York City’? She said ‘no, sir. She will not and that is correct’."
Pool then called around to as many as 25 New York City restaurants, which are among the series of businesses including theater which de Blasio has said will face penalties for violations of the order, and was stunned by one restaurateur's reply:
"The mandates from the mayor means employment as well. That means by September 13th, all businesses in New York City must fire every single immunocompromised epilepsy sufferers people are a history of anaphylaxis, M.S., it's absolutely insane," he said.
"I asked them would you bar my friend if I came and she has M.S. And can't get the vaccine? They all said yes, I'm sorry. I'm just following the orders of the mayor."
Cain replied that "I'm just following orders" is a "scary refrain" to be heard in the United States:
"We have heard that before," he recalled.
Pool later added that viewers should try to imagine a mayor of a major city issuing an edict mandating racial segregation that supersedes federal law in the way the vaccine mandate may violate the terms of the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1992.
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"Imagine a mayor issuing a mandate allowing racial segregation; trying to supersede U.S. federal law… that's akin to what we're seeing," he added.
Pool underlined that he is not an attorney, but believes strongly that through his conversation with the city's 311 hotline and the replies from restaurant owners show that there is a strong probability de Blasio is violating both the ADA and the New York State Human Rights Law.
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