House Republicans told House Speaker Nancy Pelosi where she could shove her mask as the Democrat leader brings the return of an indoor mask mandate to inaugurate a forever pandemic.
“Heading to Senate floor with about 50 colleagues to demand we end the mask charade,” tweeted Texas Rep. Chip Roy as members congregated in the Capitol rotunda.
Heading to Senate floor with about 50 colleagues to demand we end the mask charade. pic.twitter.com/cJic4MpYmH
— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) July 29, 2021
Lawmakers including longtime protestors of the original mask mandate such as Roy and Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, who were each fined in May for a similar protest, walked through the Capitol in a mass showing of civil disobedience.
GOP Massie: says the House GOP members are over here “for a taste of freedom.”
“You don’t have to wear a mask on the Senate side.”
Massie said they have the same attending physician, but he’s given different directives to each chamber.
Here’s video of them asking to enter. pic.twitter.com/A79S38d9UE
— Chris Cioffi (@ReporterCioffi) July 29, 2021
HAPPENING NOW — @MattGaetz and other Members of Congress DEFY Nancy Pelosi’s unconstitutional mask mandates 👇 pic.twitter.com/NdmTE592gS
— Joel Valdez (@realJoelValdez) July 29, 2021
Members joined Utah Sen. Mike Lee in the Senate who gave a speech opposing the mask requirement.
“I cannot fathom a legitimate reason to arrest a person for not wearing a mask,” Lee said. “I cannot fathom a legitimate reason for arresting anyone based on failure to wear a mask.”
Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) is speaking on Senate floor opposing the House mask wearing requirement, while House Freedom Caucus members are seated maskless behind in the back of Senate chamber. pic.twitter.com/EnQHeVOwB5
— Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) July 29, 2021
Capitol Police threatened those on the hill, including lawmakers, with arrest for refusal to comply with the speaker’s new order.
Capitol Police arresting a vaccinated congressman for not wearing a mask will be peak insanity. https://t.co/nM6R7LwsLQ
— Tristan Justice (@JusticeTristan) July 29, 2021
On Wednesday, Attending Physician of the United States Congress Brian Monahan briefed Republicans on the new mandate while forgoing a mask himself.
“At times, Monahan was getting yelled at by Members for failing to explain the science behind the decision to reimpose mask mandates in the House of Representatives,” one Republican official in attendance told The Federalist. “He just couldn’t give a scientific reason as to why vaccinated Members should wear masks in one of the most vaccinated areas in the country.”
https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/1420487022930706439?s=20
New York Democrat Rep. Jerry Nadler was recorded without a face mask Thursday by Montana Republican Rep. Matt Rosendale, who published the footage on Twitter.
Looks like mask mandates and threats of arrest don’t apply to senior Democrats. #hypocrisy pic.twitter.com/IwKOe1jVXF
— Matt Rosendale (@RepRosendale) July 29, 2021
Pelosi reinstated the mask mandate on Capitol Hill after the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) caved to political pressure to reverse its May guidance which allowed for vaccinated individuals to throw away the face mask. The new CDC recommendations out this week now encourage face masks indoors even for those protected from spreading the virus through prior infection or vaccination.
