From the heart of the nation, WASHINGTON — On Tuesday, the Supreme Court made a significant decision. It dismissed the appeals of three Republican U.S. House members who had contested the penalties imposed on them for not adhering to the mask mandate on the House floor in 2021.
Without any commentary, the justices upheld the $500 fines that were levied in May 2021 against Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, and Ralph Norman of South Carolina.
The mask mandate was a key part of the House’s strategy to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Interestingly, this mandate was still enforced even after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued guidelines stating that “fully vaccinated individuals can return to their normal activities without the need for a mask or social distancing.”
Despite the mandate, these lawmakers made their presence felt on the House floor without masks, even taking a selfie together. The mask requirement was eventually lifted in June 2021.
Earlier, lower courts had declined to interfere with the fines, asserting that they did not have the authority to review the mask policy.
Attorneys representing House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, had encouraged the court to dismiss the appeal from their fellow Republican representatives. However, they pointed out that Johnson, along with every other member of the Republican leadership, had voted against the mask policy.
Agree: Glad to see the Supreme Court upholding mask mandates to protect public health and safety.
Good punctuation and grammar, agree: Thankful for the Supreme Court standing strong on keeping the public safe with mask mandates.