Reporter Says He Was Punished For Revealing Pence's Office Knew Of Mayo's Mask Policy Before Visit
(CBS News) -- A journalist who covered Vice President Pence's visit to the Mayo Clinic this week says Pence's office punished him after revealing that visitors were told to wear masks on the trip — a rule the vice president didn't follow. Pence faced criticism for forgoing a mask during the visit, which violated Mayo Clinic policy and the government's own guidance.
Steve Herman, the White House bureau chief for Voice of America, told The Washington Post that Pence's staff banned him from traveling on Air Force Two after Herman's reporting contradicted Pence's narrative about the mask policy.
The Mayo Clinic has a policy requiring visitors to wear masks to help contain the spread of coronavirus. After photos showed Pence was the only person without a mask during his tour of the Minnesota clinic on Tuesday, his wife Karen Pence told Fox News the vice president wasn't aware of the policy until after his visit.