Pricks

Guidance from the Capitol physician issued late Tuesday, which was requested by Pelosi, said masks are now required for any House meetings “in a limited enclosed space, such as a committee hearing room, for greater than 15 minutes.”

[...]

Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) directive that House committee leaders enforce a new mask requirement quickly encountered some GOP resistance on Wednesday, with several Republicans participating in legislative markups without facial coverings.

  The Hill

They should be removed.

The new mask requirement in House committees came just a day after Rep. Tom Rice (R-S.C.) revealed that he had tested positive for the coronavirus.

Rice was seen without a mask during a House session on May 28. He told CNN at the time that he wears a mask when he can't stay at least six feet away from other people, such as on an airplane.

[...]

While most lawmakers in both parties have been wearing masks in public, the handful who haven't are all conservative Republicans.

You don't say! You could knock me over with a feather.

Rep. Jim Jordan (Ohio), the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, has been among the GOP lawmakers seen without a mask on Capitol Hill in recent weeks. He initially wore a mask at the start of Wednesday's Judiciary Committee markup of police reform legislation but later removed it.

About two hours later, Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.)] briefly admonished Jordan and Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) for not wearing masks.

“I would remind the gentleman, and other gentlemen, that for the safety of their colleagues and the decorum of the House, they should be wearing masks. Mr. Jordan,” Nadler said, turning to look directly at Jordan.

[...]

Nadler [later] announced that he would not grant speaking time to any lawmaker not wearing a mask.

[...]

[Nadler said,] “In light of the attending physician's new guidance, I therefore fully expect all members on both sides of the aisle to wear a mask at all times that you are not speaking. If for whatever reason you are not willing to wear a mask, the House rules provide a way to participate remotely from your office without being physically present in this room."

Oh, no. They have a point to make.

He then initially ignored a request from McClintock – who was still not wearing a mask – for speaking time, but ultimately relented

Then blame Nadler for aiding and abetting. No wonder they pay no attention to him.

"I consider masks much more effective at spreading panic and much less effective at stopping a virus," McClintock said.

Is McClintock a doctor?

In the end, McClintock put on a mask and secured recognition from Nadler to speak again about 30 minutes later.

I wonder why he put the mask on.

Several GOP members were seen not wearing masks, including Reps. Sam Graves (Mo.), the panel’s top Republican, and Greg Pence (Ind.), the brother of Vice President Pence.

“It’s very unfortunate that people are more focused on who’s wearing a mask than the important task of reforming policing in America," a spokesman for Republicans on the Judiciary Committee said when asked about the mask compliance.

If you assholes would just wear a mask, that wouldn't be the focus. You're making it the focus.

Like DeFazio, many Democrats on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee participated in the markup remotely. But at least one Democrat, Rep. Stephen Lynch (Mass.) was physically present in the room with Republicans – and he was also spotted without a mask.

Afraid he'd get razzed?

The mask requirement does not apply while lawmakers are speaking on camera, due to concerns about people watching on television with hearing issues being unable to read lips. The exemption could limit the effectiveness of the requirement, given warnings from public health experts that speaking without a mask can spread viral particles.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.