Teachers union president and Chuck Schumer caught maskless at political retreat in Puerto Rico



Democratic New York lawmakers, union leaders, and lobbyists flocked to Puerto Rico last week to participate in the annual SOMOS legislative conference. The SOMOS conference featured prominent New York Democratic politicians, including New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, New York City Mayor-elect Eric Adams, Attorney General Letitia James, and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Also in attendance at the political retreat were Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) and American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, both of whom were spotted maskless during the conference.

In Puerto Rico, masks are required in all indoor spaces, regardless of vaccination status. However, Weingarten was seen maskless with other conference attendees who were also not wearing face coverings.

Gotta love when school leaders @rweingarten @DOEChancellor mingle with others..in a packed room...with no masks..yet...I wonder if everyone needed proof of Vax to attend this 'work vaca'...they sure didn't need masks...@AppletoZucchini @daniela127 @Chalkbeatpic.twitter.com/Tjr4dQsiu1

— Adriana Aviles (@nanalatinaAA) 1636151440

Ironically, Weingarten has previously called for all students and children to wear masks. "Universal masking in schools can save lives," she wrote in August.

Universal masking in schools can save lives. \u00a0https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/10/opinion/covid-schools-masks.html\u00a0\u2026

— Randi Weingarten (@rweingarten) 1628645131

AFT\u2019s @rweingarten says \u201cuniversal masking\u201d is needed to keep schools open: \n\n\u201cWe see the Delta variant be very transmissible. And so that\u2019s why what masks do is masks stop transmission. So universal masking is going to be very helpful to keep kids safe."pic.twitter.com/mjH0Fg9IPB

— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) 1627914849

440 students in Palm Beach County in quarantine two days into school year, superintendent says- we need universal masking in Fla schools \u2066@FloridaEA\u2069https://www.sun-sentinel.com/coronavirus/fl-ne-students-quarantined-20210812-tva5ecdlnjdbjbcdxukekzyi4e-story.html\u00a0\u2026

— Randi Weingarten (@rweingarten) 1628801136

After being called out for her hypocrisy, Weingarten attempted to explain why she wasn't wearing a mask.

"I wear a mask most of the time indoors," Weingarten responded. "We took them off as people were having a hard time hearing us."

"You could not be Somos or the hotel or panel w/o proof of vaccination. I had also just done a rapid Covid test & was negative," said Weingarten, the head of the second-largest teachers union in the nation. "Frankly I think you are right. If kids are wearing masks in schools to protect themselves & others educators must wear masks inside as well. I'm sorry."

She wrote on Twitter, "I wore my mask the rest of the conference."

Daniela Jampel — mother of three and founding member of the grassroots, nonpartisan group Keep NYC Schools Open — told Fox News, "Ms. Weingarten's response articulates what so many parents already know - masks are a hindrance to communication and to learning. But unlike adults, when kids in school can't understand or hear their teacher, or can't be understood or heard themselves, they do not have the option of simply removing their masks."

Also at SOMOS, Chuck Schumer was caught without a mask while indoors surrounded by people in a crowded room with no social distancing being practiced. Schumer was seen maskless dancing hand-in-hand with New York City Council member Carlina Rivera (D), who was also not wearing a mask.

How many Speaker race points for a Merengue with @SenSchumer? @CarlinaRivera goes all in:pic.twitter.com/gR547gwbL8

— Gloria Pazmino (@GloriaPazmino) 1636160620

Schumer is feeling the music at Somos pic.twitter.com/voQZ7KgsMb

— Emma G. Fitzsimmons (@emmagf) 1636160167

There is a long list of Democrats who have violated COVID-19 guidances, including: President Joe Biden, Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Austin Mayor Steve Adler, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, Biden's special envoy on climate John Kerry, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, and Los Angeles County supervisor Sheila Kuehl.

NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio reacts to claim that Gov. Andrew Cuomo had dartboard with his face on it



New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio reacted Friday to a claim that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo had a dartboard in the pool house at the governor's mansion with a photo of the mayor's face on it, by making a dig against the embattled governor before calling Cuomo's purported display "juvenile."

What are the details?

The New Yorker reported this week that former Cuomo aide Lindsey Boylan — the first of several women to come forward accusing the governor of sexual harassment — claims she spotted a dartboard with de Blasio's face on it while at a party held at the pool house during her tenure in the administration between 2015 and 2018.

The magazine reported:

Boylan recalled seeing a dartboard bearing a photo of Bill de Blasio, Cuomo's antagonist since he was elected Mayor of New York City, in 2014. "I couldn't believe how brazen that was," she said. (A spokesperson for the Governor declined to comment on the dartboard.)

During a media conference, de Blasio was asked for his take on the dartboard allegation.

"Well, I'll tell ya, the first thing I thought...we know that Gov. Cuomo, like Donald Trump, has been obsessed with the size of his hands, so I thought with those big, big hands, how could he possibly hold those tiny, tiny darts. Must have been very difficult."

After the attempted joke, de Blasio added, "No, look, it's juvenile. It's just like frat house humor. It's not something you would like to see from someone who has, like, serious leadership responsibilities. But, it is what it is."

@emmagf NYC Mayor de Blasio on NY Gov. Cuomo having his face on a dartboard:“We know that Gov. Cuomo, like Donald… https://t.co/Cbx4uGl7Ct
— The Recount (@The Recount)1616183585.0

According to the attorney of another Cuomo accuser, the governor has a "preoccupation with his hand size and what the large size of his hands indicated to [their client] and other members of his staff."

Former President Donald Trump's hands became a topic in the 2016 Republican primary debates, after Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) made a joke about his then-rival.

Anything else?

The New York Daily News reported that "De Blasio and Cuomo, who are both Democrats, have long feuded. But their rivalry has reached new and public lows as the governor faces a storm of sexual misconduct allegations and loud calls for his resignation."

Earlier this month, the mayor said of Cuomo, "I just don't see how he could govern effectively when fewer and fewer people believe him."