A Republican lawmaker and physician is facing renewed criticism from Black lawmakers following his appointment as the head of the state Senate Health Committee. This comes after he previously questioned whether members of “the colored population” were contracting the coronavirus at higher rates due to hygiene practices.
“Could it just be that African Americans – or the colored population — do not wash their hands as well as other groups? Or wear masks? Or do not socially distance themselves?” state Sen. Stephen Huffman asked a Black health expert during testimony on June 11. “Could that just be the explanation of why there’s a higher incidence?”
