Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) on Thursday condemned House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) new rule that House office staffers and members must wear masks at all times at work under pain of imprisonment.
“This is INSANE. Might as well come into my office and arrest my entire staff. We are not wearing masks. I support the Capitol Hill Police, but the Chief of Police made a mistake here. The physician and the chief of police don’t have this authority,” Massie tweeted Thursday:
Pelosi’s memo states the new rules result from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommended guidance on Tuesday.
“All USCP personnel must wear a mask at all times when in interior spaces throughout the Capitol grounds,” the memo reads.
The memo goes on to explain that any House staffer or member who does not wear a mask shall be reported to the House sergeant of arms, who could arrest any maskless individuals.
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) tweeted in response, “I am directing my Hill staff to work from home today. No one should be arrested over a mask. We should follow the science not Speaker Pelosi.”
“To be clear: Pelosi is directing police to ARREST vaccinated people who aren’t wearing masks. This isn’t about science—it’s about power and control,” Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) tweeted.