A healthcare worker who helps patients breathe has come under fire after saying he was sad that a shooter did not kill Donald Trump when he opened fire on him at a rally in Pennsylvania over the weekend.
Thomas O’Donoghue, who has worked as a respiratory therapist in Florida for three decades, wrote online after the shooting: “It’s a shame he failed.”
It was posted in response to a post by Donald Trump Jr., the former president’s eldest son, who called CNN’s coverage a “disgrace.”
O’Donoghue quickly faced backlash for his comments, with many urging his employer, Lee Health in southwest Florida, to fire him.
Thomas O’Donoghue posted the comment, revealed by Libs of TikTok, in response to a tweet from the former president’s eldest son.
O’Donoghue quickly faced backlash for his comments, with many urging his employer, Lee Health in southwest Florida, to fire him.
An individual wrote on X: ‘He is in the position to determine whether people live or die and that makes me very, very angry that he is so willing to express that opinion.
A second added: “Hi Lee Health, does your employee Thomas O’Donoghue treat conservative patients differently?”
And a third person said: “I live in Southwest Florida and Lee Health is my main provider. I don’t know if I would feel safe being treated there with this type of hateful person as one of their employees.”
O’Donoghue’s comment comes amid a wave of investigations into dozens of people, from teachers to a nurse, a firefighter and a county worker, who have made similar comments following the attack on the former president.
The comments have been revealed by TikTok Libs.
DailyMail.com also revealed today that a New York City nurse and a pharmacy worker in Texas have been fired after their comments were revealed online.
Nurse Janiece Binns lost her job earlier today after her online posts suggesting she was upset that the shooter hadn’t seen him were revealed.
On his LinkedIn, Mr. O’Donoghue says he has worked for Lee Memorial Health System for three decades, providing patient care.
Respiratory therapists work under the direction of physicians to administer oxygen, operate ventilators, and deliver lung medications to a variety of patients.
These include premature babies whose lungs are not properly developed and older people with lung diseases.
There are about 130,000 respiratory therapists in the United States, and all of them must treat patients impartially, or without differences based on sex, ethnicity or other factors.
The American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC), which represents the industry, says in its code of conduct that respiratory therapists should: “Provide care without discrimination of any kind, with respect for the rights and dignity of all individuals.”
Mr O’Donoghue’s comments were first revealed by right-wing account X TikTok Libswho said his employer should take swift action.
He has since deleted the comments and his X account.
Neither Lee Health nor Mr O’Donoghue could be reached for comment.