Florida’s Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz tweeted that he informed “60 Minutes” that its story about Publix and Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis was “bullshit.”
The report, published Sunday, focused on the fact that residents living in one of the poorest parts of Palm Beach County had to travel for the vaccine, as the Florida-based supermarket chain isn’t located in the area, while wealthier communities allegedly had easier access to it. “60 Minutes” suggested that DeSantis picked Publix to distribute the vaccine for Palm Beach County because of a $100,000 donation the company made to his political committee.
Critics quickly picked apart the report, prompting CBS News and “60 Minutes” to issue two different statements responding to the backlash. Its latest statement, issued Tuesday, noted the show spoke to Moskowitz twice but that “he declined to be interviewed on camera for” the story “until well after” the deadline. Moskowitz was one of the Florida Democrats who originally pushed back on the show’s narrative.
New, extended statement from CBS/60 Minutes on @GovRonDeSantis segment: pic.twitter.com/hosHETJuTs
— Shelby Talcott (@ShelbyTalcott) April 6, 2021
Following the new statement, Moskowitz tweeted that him not sitting down on camera “doesn’t change the truth.” (RELATED: ’60 Minutes’ Flamed Over ‘Hit Job’ Against Gov. DeSantis, Publix On Vaccine Distribution)
“I did speak with @60Minutes. Never said I didn’t,” Moskowitz wrote. “They were very nice, but I told them that the @publix story was ‘bullshit’. Walked them through the whole process.”
I did speak with @60Minutes. Never said I didn’t. They were very nice, but I told them that the @publix story was “bullshit”. Walked them through the whole process.The fact that I didn’t sit down on “camera” because I am responding to a 100 year emergency doesn’t change the truth https://t.co/G7QNsV42V5
— Jared MASKowitz ???? (@JaredEMoskowitz) April 6, 2021
“60 Minutes'” first statement, issued Monday, only addressed one of the problems with the segment – the fact that it aired a shortened clip of DeSantis, cutting out his explanation regarding why Publix was chosen. The show told the Daily Caller it had edited his answer “for clarity.”
Moskowitz’s latest response follows prior statements where he called the show’s claims “utter nonsense” and “absolute malarky.”
“No one from the Governors office suggested Publix,” according to Moskowitz.