Pence didn't know masks required at Mayo Clinic, wife claims

Vice President Mike Pence didn’t know about the Mayo Clinic’s mandatory mask policy until after leaving the Minnesota institution, his wife insisted Thursday.
Karen Pence said her husband had a productive visit Tuesday at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, where photos and videos captured him without a mask while meeting with staffers and at least one patient.

“As our medical experts have told us, wearing a mask prevents you from spreading the disease, and knowing that he doesn’t have COVID-19, he didn’t wear one,” Karen Pence said while standing by her husband during a “Fox & Friends” appearance.
Regardless of his health status, Pence didn’t learn about the mask policy until after his departure, his wife said.

“It was actually after he left Mayo Clinic that he found out that they had a policy of asking everyone to wear a mask,” she said. “So, you know, someone who has worked on this whole task force for over two months is not someone who would have done anything to offend anyone or hurt anyone or scare anyone. So, I’m glad that you gave me the opportunity to talk about that.”
In a tweet prior to his arrival, Mayo clinic officials said they had informed Pence of the policy. The tweet was later deleted.
Reached for comment Thursday, a Mayo Clinic rep told The Post that Pence’s office was informed of the policy prior to his visit.

“Mayo Clinic shared the masking policy with the Vice President’s office,” spokesperson Bob Nellis wrote in an email.