{"id":1416429,"date":"2022-04-02T22:14:40","date_gmt":"2022-04-03T02:14:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1416429"},"modified":"2022-04-02T22:14:42","modified_gmt":"2022-04-03T02:14:42","slug":"report-pennsylvania-state-sen-doug-mastriano-wanted-government-to-publicly-report-identities-of-everyone-who-got-coronavirus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/report-pennsylvania-state-sen-doug-mastriano-wanted-government-to-publicly-report-identities-of-everyone-who-got-coronavirus\/","title":{"rendered":"Report: Pennsylvania State Sen. Doug Mastriano Wanted Government to Publicly Report Identities of Everyone Who Got Coronavirus"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">34<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Freport-pennsylvania-state-sen-doug-mastriano-wanted-government-to-publicly-report-identities-of-everyone-who-got-coronavirus%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1416429&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div><\/div>\n<p class=\"subheading\">Republican Pennsylvania State Senator and Gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano proposed rolling back medical privacy protections during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic,\u00a0according to a Friday <a href=\"https:\/\/www.penncapital-star.com\/election-2022\/now-a-defender-of-personal-freedom-mastriano-wanted-to-lift-privacy-rules-in-pandemics-early-days\/\">report<\/a> from the <em>Pennsylvania Capital-Star<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>The <em>Capital-Star<\/em> located several of Mastriano\u2019s memos and press releases from 2020 \u2014 which were reportedly removed from his website \u2014 through an Internet archival resource. In one such <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20200319030536\/https:\/\/senatormastriano.com\/2020\/03\/17\/mastriano-federal-hipaa-regs-should-be-suspended-during-coronavirus-pandemic\/\">document<\/a> from March 17, 2020, Mastriano said he was concerned that \u201cexisting HIPAA regulations are threatening the lives of our citizens\u2026\u201d He went on:<\/p>\n<figure id=\"D-ROS-B1\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B1\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"gmxrevmore\" class=\"H\"><\/figure>\n<blockquote>\n<p>I am concerned that existing HIPAA regulations are threatening the lives of our citizens and depriving Pennsylvania residents of knowing if \u2013 and when \u2013 they were exposed to a contagious person. This emergency measure is necessary to share vital and life-saving medical information with those who may have been subjected to this dangerous virus. The new information that would become available would help us combat the spread of the Coronavirus.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Mastriano, who has since built his brand around \u201cpersonal freedom,\u201d introduced a measure calling up the federal government to temporarily suspend HIPAA and \u201callow for\u00a0full disclosure of details that are currently considered private, and are not disclosed to the public.\u201d He said:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>It is deeply concerning that the federal government did not proactively roll back this dangerous policy, which endangers our people. This situation changes daily \u2013 it remains my top priority to do what is in the best interest of protecting public health, and this measure will increase transparency in an effort to quell the spread of this virus.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>According to the report, the March 17 release was the first-term state senator\u2019s \u201cfirst official release referencing COVID-19.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt the time, the state had reported just under 100 total COVID cases. [Democrat Gov. Tom Wolf] would order non-\u201clife sustaining\u201d businesses to shutter in two days\u2019 time; schools had only been ordered closed until March 30, and no one had yet died of the virus,\u201d the <em>Capital-Star<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B2\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<p>The senator followed up the interview with at least two more similar official releases, including a\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20200812130759\/https:\/\/senatormastriano.com\/2020\/03\/19\/health-law-restrictions-prompt-mastriano-letter-to-president-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">March 19 letter<\/a>\u00a0to then-President Donald Trump calling for the suspension of HIPAA.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cExisting federal law prevents the sharing of names of COVID-19 persons, and this endangers the lives of those who come in close contact with them,\u201d the letter reads in part.<\/p>\n<p>The senator also put out a release on <a href=\"http:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20200811091549\/https:\/\/senatormastriano.com\/2020\/03\/26\/mastriano-legislation-would-update-disease-prevention-control-law\/\">March 26<\/a> about a bill that would get rid of state-level confidentiality protections during a disaster declaration. The statement reads:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Currently, the law allows the Health Department to keep records and reports of contagious diseases strictly confidential,\u201d said Mastriano. \u201cUnfortunately, the Health Department has been using this outdated law to withhold life-saving information during the ongoing pandemic.\u00a0 This change to the 1955 law only impacts information related to a pandemic.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cIt is disheartening that neighboring states have been more transparent about potential cases,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p>The <em>Capital-Star <\/em>noted that many of theses statements were no longer on Mastriano\u2019s official state website as of March 2022.<br \/>The gubernatorial hopeful additionally told an ABC News affiliate in 2020 that privacy is less important when confronting a \u201ccontagious disease.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B3\" class=\"a8d adSo\"><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cWe have to protect their privacy, but when it comes to a contagious disease, we should be able to know, \u2018yes, this person had it,\u2019 and so then the word will go out if I\u2019ve had contact with him or her,\u201d he told\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.abc27.com\/news\/local\/harrisburg\/midstate-lawmaker-urging-suspension-of-hipaa-protections-among-covid19-outbreak\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ABC-27<\/a>, adding that failure to do so would mean Gov. Wold and then-Secretary of Health Rachel Levine have \u201cblood on their hands.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mastriano\u2019s campaign and Senate office did not reply to request for comment, according to the report. Notably, his proposal to roll back Pennsylvania\u2019s medical privacy law <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legis.state.pa.us\/cfdocs\/billinfo\/billinfo.cfm?syear=2019&#038;sind=0&#038;body=S&#038;type=B&#038;bn=1124\">never advanced<\/a> out of committee.<\/p>\n<p>Tim Murtaugh, an advisor to gubernatorial competitor Lou Barletta, told the publication that Mastriano\u2019s proposal was a \u201cdangerous idea.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDirecting the government to broadcast the personal medical information of private citizens is a dangerous idea that should never even be considered,\u201d Murtaugh said.\u00a0\u201c[Barletta] wants to keep the government out of people\u2019s lives as much as possible, not create a frenzy by slapping a \u2018Scarlet C\u2019 on people who contract COVID-19.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><span>Recent polls show the Republican primary race as very much a two-man battle between Barletta and Mastriano. But with Democrat Gov. Tom Wolf (D) leaving office, Republicans have a clear chance to flip the governor\u2019s mansion. Recent polls, Barletta <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/politics\/2022\/03\/12\/gubernatorial-candidate-lou-barletta-illegal-immigration-ends-im-governor-pennsylvania\/\">said<\/a>, are a \u201creflection on what we\u2019re seeing on the ground,\u201d as he has a \u201chuge grassroots campaign.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Our <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/trafalgar_group?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@trafalgar_group<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/poll?src=hash&#038;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#poll<\/a> of <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/PA?src=hash&#038;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#PA<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Gov?src=hash&#038;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Gov<\/a> likely \u201822 <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/GOP?src=hash&#038;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#GOP<\/a> Primary Election voters (2\/1-4)<\/p>\n<p>24.1% <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RepLouBarletta?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@RepLouBarletta<\/a><br \/>19.9% <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/dougmastriano?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@DougMastriano<\/a><br \/>5.1% <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CormanForPA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@CormanForPA<\/a><br \/>4.4% <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/McSwainPA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@McSwainPA<\/a><br \/>4.0% <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Martin4Pa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@Martin4Pa<\/a><br \/>13.6% Others<br \/>29% Undecided\/WNV<\/p>\n<p>See Report: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/mnYLEJpTlw\">https:\/\/t.co\/mnYLEJpTlw<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/BSRtOHGURo\">pic.twitter.com\/BSRtOHGURo<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 The Trafalgar Group (@trafalgar_group) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/trafalgar_group\/status\/1492281706560299008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 11, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/politics\/2022\/02\/12\/poll-republican-lou-barletta-leads-primary-field-in-pennsylvania-governors-race\/\">poll<\/a> conducted by the Trafalgar Group from February 1 to 4 among 1,070 likely Republican primary voters found Barletta leading state Sen. Doug Mastriano by 4.2 percent, receiving 24.1 percent support compared to Mastriano\u2019s 19.9 percent.<\/p>\n<p><em>Katherine Hamilton is a political reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on\u00a0<a class=\"x5l\" title=\"This external link will open in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/katherineeeeee2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Twitter<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Republican Pennsylvania State Senator and Gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano proposed rolling back medical privacy protections during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic,\u00a0according to a Friday report from the Pennsylvania<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1416429","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1416429","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1416429"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1416429\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1416429"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1416429"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1416429"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}