Republican sheriff Mark Lamb of Pinal County, Arizona —who refused to enforce lockdown orders— has tested positive for COVID-19 and will submit to quarantine, the Phoenix New Times reported Wednesday.
Lamb, a fervent Trump supporter, made the announcement on Wednesday, saying: “Unfortunately, as a law enforcement official and elected leader, we do not have the luxury of staying home. This line of work is inherently dangerous, and that is a risk we take when we sign up for the job. Today, that risk is the COVID-19 virus. On Saturday, I held a campaign event, where it is likely I came into contact with an infected individual.”
At the height of the pandemic in April, Lamb had told the Phoenix New Times that he could not enforce state lockdown orders on coronavirus because he considered them unconstitutional: “In tough times, tough decisions have to be made. I’m looking at two laws in each hand [and] going with the one that’s 200 years old rather than two days old.”
Arizona and other red states have seen a surge in coronavirus cases following the rolling back of stay-at-home restrictions by Republican governors. Health experts have stated the end of restrictions is directly responsible for the sudden spike in infections.
