A gay Democrat former candidate for the Florida House of Representatives admitted that she lied about saving victims of the Pulse Nightclub shooting.
The Florida Department of Health showed a statement by the woman, Elizabeth McCarthy, who pretended to be a cardiologist, Florida Politics reported.
The department is charging McCarthy with violating state law by lying about being a doctor, under the state’s unlicensed activity statutes.
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It’s seeking to fine her $1,000, plus costs. The department also is serving her with a cease-and-desist order, prohibiting her from telling anyone else that she is a medical doctor, according to documents provided to Florida Politics following a public records request.
The formal investigation of McCarthy began after Florida Politics reported on June 15 that it could not confirm any of her claims to be a doctor, or that she had been one of the medical heroes responding to the horrific June 12, 2016, mass shooting at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub, where 49 people were killed and 53 others were wounded.
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She made the claims that she had tended to those who were shot at two events organized by Democrats in her state.
“It’s an honor to be in the medical field,” she said. “I love what I do. I love helping people and giving better options to people — that’s the best way I can say it.”
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“It’s probably one of the hardest things of my career to work through,” she said. “I personally removed 77 bullets from 32 victims … It was like an assembly line.”
“I lied,” she said in the affidavit to DoH Medical Quality Assurance Investigator Rafael B. Aponte “It is a false statement. I just made it up.”
“I wanted to be somebody in the community, and I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I gave any impersonation. I knew it was wrong and I should have stopped — by no means did I ever mean to put anybody in jeopardy,” she said.
“It is a felony of the third degree … to practice, attempt to practice, or offer to practice a health care profession without an active, valid Florida license to practice that profession,” state law said.
“Holding oneself out, regardless of the means of communication, as able to practice a health care profession or as able to provide services that require a health care license shall be deemed to be an attempt or offer to practice such profession without a license.”
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“Violations that form the basis of a felony in the third degree shall result in a penalty of $1,000 for the first offense, $2,000 for the second offense, and $5,000 for a third offense or more.”
A lesbian politician campaigned off a brazen lie that she was a doctor who treated the victims of the Pulse gay club jihadist shooting. https://t.co/KM7bPm9ViY
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) July 20, 2019
Elizabeth McCarthy finally admitted that not only did she not treat Pulse victims, she isn’t even a doctor. #pulse #flapol https://t.co/8J4nP4i648
— Orlando Weekly (@OrlandoWeekly) July 18, 2019
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Florida Dem admits lying about treating Pulse nightclub shooting victims in Orlando. “I lied, it is a false statement” Elizabeth McCarthy told investigators.
McCarthy told people she was a doctor at Orlando Regional Medical Center and treated 32 victims https://t.co/RzBxr42jIR pic.twitter.com/RGhkowjYei
— United States Trends (@Trends4USA) July 20, 2019
‘I lied’: Elizabeth McCarthy, former candidate, admits lies about being doctor, treating Pulse victims
via @ScottFist https://t.co/tysinm9PoU #FlaPol pic.twitter.com/z57IXVMvpH— Florida Politics (@Fla_Pol) July 17, 2019
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Why would a DNC candidate lie about anything? If that ever happened it would be so weird!
“I lied”: Elizabeth McCarthy, former candidate, admits lies about being doctor, as well as lying about treating Pulse Nightclub shooting victims. #ClownWorld 🤡🌏 https://t.co/htplTgKNmK
— Joe GrayBird (@PixrNuggets) July 20, 2019