Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, New York, has terminated one of their vice presidents after discovering a Facebook post in which she demanded supporters of President Donald Trump be required to give up ventilators if they are diagnosed with coronavirus and end up in intensive care and suggested that Trump supporters “chew some ibuprofen and get on with your day” in regards to treating the deadly virus.
Laura Krolczyk, a former staffer for Hillary Clinton when Clinton was in the Senate, and a former aide to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), was Roswell Park’s vice president for external affairs until Saturday when she made the fateful post, bashing Trump over his refusal to pay General Motors far above market price for ventilators (Trump later ordered GM and its supplier, Ventec, to produce the medical necessities under the Defense Production Act).
“The exchange – according to screen grabs posted by [Republican operative Michael Caputo] – began when Krolczyk posted a link to an article by the Hill news site about the Trump administration’s reluctance to pay $1 billion to General Motors and Ventec for ventilator production,” Buffalo News reported Saturday.
Krolczyk shared the article with a comment: “Vote Trump.”
[Krolczky’s Facebook friend Lisa] LaTrovato responded: “But will waste more than that on a wall and space force.”
Krolczyk replied: “Trump supporters need to pledge to give up their ventilators for someone else … and not go to the hospital.”
LaTrovato responded: “I think they should be the only ones in packed churches on Sunday.”
Krolczyk then said: “They should barricade themselves in there and ride this out.”
LaTrovato replied: “Yup.”
Another of Krolczyk’s friends chimed in, blasting the pair for deciding who lives or dies in a pandemic based on political beliefs. Instead of apologizing, though, Krolczyk, who is responsible for operations at one of New York’s leading health care facilities told her friend that, “That’s literally what he’s saying. Take your ‘wow’ and comprehend what your hero is saying. Your hero is saying YOU don’t need a ventilator. So don’t take one.”[Krolczky’s Facebook friend Lisa] LaTrovato responded: “But will waste more than that on a wall and space force.”
Krolczyk replied: “Trump supporters need to pledge to give up their ventilators for someone else … and not go to the hospital.”
LaTrovato responded: “I think they should be the only ones in packed churches on Sunday.”
Krolczyk then said: “They should barricade themselves in there and ride this out.”
LaTrovato replied: “Yup.”
She then added, “Also don’t cash your stimulus check. It’s all a hoax. Chew some ibuprofen and be on with your day.”
Krolczyk was initially placed on an administrative leave while Roswell park investigated the incident. She was let go at some point on Saturday, according to a statement released by the cancer center, which distanced itself from and disavowed Krolcyzk’s commentary.
“This employee was terminated today after our Human Resources team concluded its investigation. We followed standard procedure, which required that we gather and verify relevant information before taking any disciplinary action,” the center said. “Dr. Johnson and her team responded with swift and appropriate action. We have always been and continue to be a center serving everyone who needs us. That is core to our mission, our culture and the experience our patients and families can expect every day. This behavior is not tolerated at Roswell Park. If any team members act in a way that does not accord with that commitment, we will take swift and appropriate action, just as we did in this instance.”
The other woman involved in the exchange, Lisa LaTrovato, a “development director” for Hauptman Woodward Medical Research Institute, has also been placed on leave.
