Ohio State Senator Steve Huffman fired from his job as emergency room doctor

COLUMBUS (WCMH) — Ohio State Senator Steve Huffman, R-Tipp City, has been fired from his job as an emergency room doctor with TeamHealth after a question he asked about the coronavirus and its impact on African Americans.

Senator Huffman was questioning witness Angela Dawson, Executive Director of the Ohio Commission on Minority Health, about why black people have a higher incidence of COVID 19 infection.

“Could it just be that African Americans or the colored population do not wash their hands as well as other groups or wear masks or do not socially distance themselves,” Huffman asked during a hearing on Tuesday.

Huffman’s employer, TeamHealth, issued the following statement:

“Dr. Huffman’s comments are wholly inconsistent with our values and commitment to creating a tolerant and diverse workplace. TeamHealth has terminated Dr. Huffman’s employment,” a TeamHealth spokesperson said.

Huffman’s firing comes just hours after the ACLU of Ohio and the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus Foundation called for the republican state senator from Tipp City to resign from his political post.