GOP Rep. Thomas Massie, of Kentucky, fired off a defiant tweet on Thursday, daring U.S. Capitol police to arrest him and his staffers for refusing to wear masks on the House floor.
Massie’s tweet came in response to a letter from Capitol police chief Thomas Manger notifying officers they must enforce a mask order inside the halls of Congress for all legislators, staffers and visitors, although he specifically says they should not arrest lawmakers who refuse.
“Although this applies to Members of Congress, officers should not arrest any Member for failure to wear a mask or comply with the mask mandate,” Manger said the letter. “Any member who fails to comply with a request to wear a mask should be reported to the House Sergeant at Arms’ office.”
Massie, however, may not have read the entire letter, which was posted online by Rep. Kat Cammach (R-FL).
“This is INSANE,” Massie tweeted. “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.”
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. https://t.co/CgiSuNvE8c
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) July 29, 2021
Massie is among a group of anti-mask GOP lawmakers, including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Ralph Norman (R-SC), who have sued House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) over $500 fines levied for their refusal to follow order recommended by the House physician.
