Press Release

Yesterday it was reported that gubernatorial candidate Scott Jensen joined America’s Frontline Doctors, a group of right-wing physicians and COVID-19 conspiracy theorists, as well as Capitol insurrectionist Simone Gold, to try and block the use of the COVID-19 vaccine in 12 to 15-year-olds.

The CDC recommends that “everyone 12 years and older should get a COVID-19 vaccination to help protect against COVID-19.”

The 80-page petition falsely claims, among a slew of other COVID-19 conspiracy theories, that the vaccine is an “experimental biological agent”, that its more dangerous than COVID-19 itself, that hydroxychloroquine could be used to treat COVID-19, that the vaccine should be “strongly discouraged” for anyone between the ages of 20 to 69, and that vaccinated children are at risk of spreading the vaccine to unvaccinated children.

Jensen himself claims it “would be reckless to subject anyone in that age group to the experimental COVID-19 vaccine.”

“Scott Jensen has spent over a year pushing dangerous conspiracy theories and peddling misinformation to the detriment of Minnesotans”, said DFL Party Chairman, Ken Martin. “Now, he’s joined a fringe group of right-wing doctors and January 6th insurrectionists to spread dangerous lies that will only harm public health. Jensen continues to put his political career over the health and well-being of our community. Scott Jensen can’t be trusted to keep Minnesotans safe and he certainly can’t be trusted as our governor.”

BACKGROUND

Scott Jensen has made a name for himself as a COVID-19 conspiracy theorist, has spread misinformation about COVID-19, posted anti-vaccine videos on social media, and was kicked off TikTok for spreading COVID-19 misinformation.

Jensen also spoke at a fundraiser for Lisa Hanson, an Albert Lea wine bar owner who had an active warrant for her arrest and was facing nine misdemeanor criminal counts, for violating COVID-19 restrictions.