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Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan Says His Family Has Felt Effects Of Discrimination Against Asian Americans

BALTIMORE (WJZ/AP) — Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said Sunday that his family has felt the effects of discrimination over the past year amid growing waves of racism against Asian Americans during the coronavirus pandemic in the United States.

Gov. Larry Hogan's wife, Yumi Hogan, is Korean American. He spoke on Jake Tapper on CNN's "State of the Union," calling the attacks "outrageous and unacceptable."

"It really has been a serious problem. My wife, my three daughters, my grandkids are all Asian. They've felt some discrimination personally, but they also have close friends—friends of my wife from church, some of my daughters' friends—who've really been treated pretty terribly," he said.

He said they have felt it through his daughter, who he said is at times afraid to even come visit them.

"We feel it personally with my daughter, who sort of is sometimes afraid to come visit us, with people who had best friends that were being harassed at the grocery store, or being called names, and people yelling about the China virus, even though they're from Korea and born in America," he added.

Hogan praised President Joe Biden for addressing the issue during his first prime-time address to the nation last week, when he condemned violent attacks against Asian Americans and called them "un-American."

"It's something we have to get under control. And I wish more people would be speaking out. And I appreciate the president's remarks," Hogan said.

He defended his choice to ease some restrictions for Maryland after Tapper pointed out that health officials have requested governors keep restrictions in place as the U.S. slowly continues to vaccinate.

Hogan cited downward trends in the number of new cases, hospitalizations and the positivity rate in Maryland. Restaurants, bars and most other businesses statewide are no longer under capacity limits, and large venues can open at half capacity.

"We didn't lift restrictions. We did raise capacity limits, but we kept the most serious mitigation measures in place, which is masking and distancing, which many states have changed. We did not," Hogan said.

"I think we took a kind of a balanced approach that's trying to continue to keep people safe, but also try to get some folks back to work and help support some of our small businesses."

Tapper also asked Hogan if he blames former President Donald Trump for hesitancy among his supporters to get the vaccine.

"Well, I think he certainly didn't help any with his messaging ... on masking and not speaking out strongly enough on the vaccines," Hogan said.

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