The Daily Populous Wednesday July 21st, 2021 day edition
Authored by thehill.com and submitted by tophatthis

The House Ethics Committee announced Tuesday that it is upholding $500 fines against three additional GOP lawmakers for refusing to wear masks on the House floor while it was still required during the pandemic.

GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene Marjorie Taylor GreeneGOP efforts to downplay danger of Capitol riot increase The Memo: What now for anti-Trump Republicans? Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene says she's meeting with Trump 'soon' in Florida MORE (Ga.), Thomas Massie Thomas Harold MassieEthics panel upholds 0 mask fines against Greene, other GOP lawmakers House Ethics panel upholds 0 mask fines against GOP lawmakers California Democrats clash over tech antitrust fight MORE (Ky.) and Ralph Norman Ralph Warren NormanEthics panel upholds 0 mask fines against Greene, other GOP lawmakers GOP lawmakers press airlines on flight cancellations 'I want to cry': House Republicans take emotional trip to the border MORE (S.C.) all filed appeals against the fines that were issued in May. But they failed to persuade a majority of the panel, which is evenly split between the two parties.

The House Ethics Committee previously upheld the $500 fines levied against GOP Reps. Brian Mast Brian Jeffrey MastEthics panel upholds 0 mask fines against Greene, other GOP lawmakers 2021 marks deadliest year for manatees in Florida recorded history OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Supreme Court rules that pipeline can seize land from New Jersey | Study: EPA underestimated methane emissions from oil and gas development | Kevin McCarthy sets up task forces on climate, other issues MORE (Fla.), Beth Van Duyne (Texas) and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (Iowa), who also participated in the mask protest in May.

All of the six Republicans were protesting the House floor mask mandate at the time given that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had recently announced that fully vaccinated people don't need to wear masks in most settings.

While Mast, Van Duyne, Miller-Meeks and Norman have all said they are vaccinated, Greene has declined to reveal her vaccination status, and Massie has said he won't get the vaccine because he previously tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies. Public health officials advise getting vaccinated despite any previous recovery from the virus.

Greene accused the Democrats on the House Ethics Committee of bias given that all but one of them — including Chairman Ted Deutch Theodore (Ted) Eliot DeutchEthics panel upholds 0 mask fines against Greene, other GOP lawmakers Sanders reaffirms support for Turner in Ohio amid Democratic rift Top Democrat leads bipartisan trip to Middle East MORE (Fla.) — have cosponsored a resolution to expel her from Congress.

"If they're signing a resolution to expel me, then they shouldn't be the people voting on the committee. I think that's definitely a conflict of interest," Greene told reporters after the Ethics Committee's announcement on Tuesday.

The Capitol physician initially defended keeping the House floor mask mandate in place in the days after the CDC announcement on May 13 because the lower chamber is "the only location where the entire membership gathers periodically throughout the day in an interior space."

But the Capitol physician ultimately updated the guidance on June 11, stating that only people who are unvaccinated or "vaccination-indeterminate" should wear masks.

Yet such guidance has not been enforced, with few staff or lawmakers wearing masks in recent weeks.

More people in the Capitol did wear masks on Tuesday in light of news that Rep. Vern Buchanan Vernon Gale BuchananMORE (R-Fla.), a White House official and an aide to Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiEthics panel upholds 0 mask fines against Greene, other GOP lawmakers Trump says he'll meet with Cheney challengers ahead of endorsement Pelosi weighing GOP picks for Jan. 6 probe MORE (D-Calif.) tested positive for COVID-19 in recent days despite being fully vaccinated.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer Steny Hamilton HoyerEthics panel upholds 0 mask fines against Greene, other GOP lawmakers Bipartisan antitrust leaders urge FTC to pursue Facebook case House passes 0B package, hoping to sway infrastructure debate MORE (D-Md.) said Tuesday that while the House mask guidance remains unchanged for now, he wouldn't rule out the possibility of reinstating it amid the spread of the delta variant.

"Having a member come down with it and having a staffer come down with it is a stark example of why we need to be cautious," Hoyer told reporters.

The Senate, meanwhile, has never had a mask mandate or fines to enforce the rules because most senators voluntarily complied with masks earlier in the pandemic and all but a few are vaccinated.

Pelosi first announced the House floor mask requirement last July due to numerous Republicans refusing to wear masks, including one who later tested positive for COVID-19.

House Democrats voted in January to enforce the mask rules with fines — $500 for the first offense and $2,500 for the second — after three of their members tested positive after spending hours in a crowded secure space during the Jan. 6 insurrection with several Republicans who did not wear masks.

Brandeez0 on July 20th, 2021 at 23:27 UTC »

> House Democrats voted in January to enforce the mask rules with fines — $500 for the first offense and $2,500 for the second — after three of their members tested positive after spending hours in a crowded secure space during the Jan. 6 insurrection with several Republicans who did not wear masks.

Imagine, there was actually a reason for the fine. Unfortunately, MTG may have something akin to color blindness, only instead of color, she can't see reason.

DreddParrotLoquax on July 20th, 2021 at 23:22 UTC »

Even $2500 on a second offense is a giggle to this sort of person. Very cheap media, and they know it.

Third offense and subsequent the fine should double each time. Let's get that rice on the chessboard.

damn_fine_custard on July 20th, 2021 at 23:14 UTC »

Pay up Marge.