New York City’s health commissioner is in hot water over remarks she reportedly made to a top cop.
Dr. Oxiris Barbot is accused of telling Chief of Detectives Terence Monahan she didn’t give “two rats (expletive removed) about police officers.
The exchange took place in March when Monahan asked Dr. Barbot for half a million masks for police officers.
The heath department is characterizing the whole incident as a “heated exchange,” saying Dr. Barbot apologized and Monohan accepted.
Mayor Bill de Blasio weighed in during his Thursday news conference, amid calls for Dr, Barbot to either resign or be fired.
“I need to understand what happened here, it does need to be addressed,” de Blasio said. “If it is accurate, the commissioner needs to apologize to the men and women of the NYPD.”
The mayor said he’s focused on getting his team to work together to help keep the people of New York City safe.
The NYC Department of Health released the following statement:
“Dr. Barbot and Chief Monahan have a good working relationship. During the height of COVID, while our hospitals were battling to keep patients alive, there was a heated exchange between the two where things were said out of frustration but no harm was wished on anyone. The Commissioner apologized for her contribution to the exchange, the apology was accepted and agreement was arrived between the two to ensure that respirators were delivered to members of the force. This has always been about saving the lives of our healthcare workers, police officers and every New Yorker who is fighting through this pandemic.”
But now there are calls for Barbot’s dismissal, including from Ed Mullins, the president of the Sergeants Benevolent Association.
“I am not surprised by such vile words coming from an appointee of Mayor de Blasio, whose disdain for law enforcement is legendary,” Mullins said. “But Dr. Barbot’s comments make it clear she has no personal or professional regard for the police. The primary concern of a medical professional in such an important position should be the safety of all people, and her attitude places police officers in great jeopardy and makes her unfit for the job.”
(AP)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
4 Responses
The mayor once again shows his true colors. Typical for a Democrat, a personal spat is blown up into a “she has no personal or professional regard for the police”. I doubt this is true at all.
Somebody, please help everybody remember, isn’t this sham Dr the same person that went on TV urging NYers to stay out, go to restaurants and not use masks. This was in March when any sane person was taking precautions.
She is a sham,. She only got her job because of a partial AfricanAmerican background.
The entire darn administration has got to go.
It’s not just her words. If this is her true colors then she has no place in city government. They work for the people and if she has such low regard for the men in blue who serve and protect she has no place in government.
Apology not accepted.