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'Profiteering Off Misinformation': Newsom Lashes Out At Conservatives For Politicizing Vaccines, Trades Shots Over Twitter With Marjorie Taylor-Greene

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Gov. Gavin Newsom and Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene are trading shots over Twitter after he lambasted her and other conservative personalities for politicizing the pandemic.

Newsom lashed out at conservative personalities, including Greene, as he announced the nation's first statewide requirement for state employees and healthcare workers to either have proof of COVID-19 vaccination or submit to weekly testing.

newsom lashes out
(credit: CBS)

"We are exhausted, respectfully. Exhausted by the ideological prism that too may American are living under. We're exhausted by the Ron Johnsons, and the Tucker Carlsons. We're exhausted by the Marjorie Taylor Greenes," Newsom said. "We're exhausted by the right-wing echo chamber that has been perpetuating misinformation around the vaccine and its efficacy and safety. We're exhausted by the politicalization of this pandemic, and that includes mask wearing. It has been equated to the Holocaust -- it's disgraceful, its unconstitutional, it's unconscionable, and it needs to be called out."

Newsom blamed vaccine hesitancy on pundits he claimed are "profiteering off misinformation intentionally" and those who "have megaphones that that are abusing that privilege."

"With all due respect, you don't have a choice to go out and drink and drive and put everybody else's lives at risk," he said. "That's the equivalent of this moment with the deadliness and the efficiency of the delta virus."

Not long after Newsom's remarks, Taylor-Green fired back at him, saying it was his "communist dictatorship" that is exhausting to the people of California.

The governor fired back, saying her statements about the COVID-19 vaccine are "murderous."

"Your anti-vaccine lies are literally killing Americans. Your own supporters are following you off a cliff and into the ICU," Newsom tweeted.

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