GOP operative and pro-Trump activist Brandon Straka was ejected from an American Airlines flight to Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Wednesday for refusing to wear a mask in an incident caught on video by New York Times reporter Astead Herndon.
The ejection on a flight from New York’s LaGuardia Airport to Dallas Fort-Worth occurred Wednesday morning and was recorded by Herndon, who serves as a Times national political reporter and CNN political analyst.
In the video, which has been viewed more than 500,000 times on Twitter, the flight attendant confronts Straka about his refusal to wear a mask.
“Sir, are you wishing not to wear a mask today?” a flight attendant asked Straka
“I would prefer not to,” Straka replied before later adding, “You’re asking me to do something that’s not a law.”
The flight attendant responded by explaining that the request is part of a “procedure American Airlines follows.”
Astead Herndon reported the incident on Twitter:
there is currently a mutiny on my flight to tulsa (via dallas) because a guy is refusing to wear a mask and the flight can't take off
— Steadman™ (@AsteadWesley) June 17, 2020
— Steadman™ (@AsteadWesley) June 17, 2020
he just got off the plane and ppl applauded lmaooo
— Steadman™ (@AsteadWesley) June 17, 2020
While there is currently no law that mandates passengers must wear masks while on a flight, all major U.S. airlines, including American, announced on May 11 new policies that call on all passengers and flight crew members to wear face coverings. Exceptions are provided for children, people with certain medical conditions, and for while passengers are eating and drinking.
Straka, who is the founder of the ‘#WalkAway Campaign’ launched in 2018 which “encourages and supports those on the Left to walk away from the Democratic Party,” told the flight attendant he had a medical condition, but did not specify what the condition was and did not provide any documentation regarding it. He was eventually ejected from the flight after a delay, drawing applause from passengers.
“This is insane. Absolutely insane,” Straka said after the ejection. “We don’t even have a choice anymore.”
