Twitter / Chip Roy
Republican U.S. Rep. Chip Roy has repeatedly downplayed the seriousness of COVID-19.
After last year claiming the pandemic was a hoax and bragging that he'd ignore CDC advice to limit Thanksgiving gatherings, Roy has been reprimanded for flouting mask rules in the U.S. House, the Texas Tribune reports.
Roy, whose district includes San Antonio, along with U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Tyler, received first warnings this week for not masking up on the House floor, the Trib reports, citing an unnamed Capitol Hill official. Not to be outdone, U.S. Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Irving, was slapped with a $500 fine for violating the rule a second time.
The reprimands came as House Republicans unsuccessfully tried to throw out the chamber's mask mandate, saying it's no longer needed.
Under Capitol rules, lawmakers must wear masks until all members and floor staff have received vaccinations. While 100% of House Democrats have been vaccinated, fewer than 50% of Republicans in the body confirmed to CNN that they'd received jabs.
Despite a U.S. pandemic death toll exceeding 587,000, Republican politicians have continued to falsely downplay the seriousness of the pandemic and paint masks and vaccinations as affronts to personal liberty in a bid to cater to their party's base.
Far-right U.S. Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, and Lauren Boebert, R-Colorado, were also recently cited for refusing to abide by the U.S. House's mask rules, according to the Texas Tribune.
Stay on top of San Antonio news and views. Sign up for our Weekly Headlines Newsletter.
