Greene And Roy Fined For Repeated Subversion Of House Floor Mask Rule

WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 23: U.S. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) embraces Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) during a news conference on the infrastructure bill with fellow members of the House Freedom Caucus, outside the Capi... WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 23: U.S. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) embraces Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) during a news conference on the infrastructure bill with fellow members of the House Freedom Caucus, outside the Capitol Building on August 23, 2021 in Washington, DC. The group criticized the bill for being too expensive and for supporting special interests. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

The House Ethics Committee on Wednesday fined Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Chip Roy (R-TX) for their vehement refusal to wear masks on the House floor.

The committee issued a pair of statements on Wednesday that cited both of the GOP lawmakers’ refusal to wear masks in the House chamber during a session on Aug. 2.

The latest fine for Greene — who was previously hit with a $500 fine in May for violating the House’s mask mandate a second time — amounts to $2,500. It’s her third offense.

Roy is set to face a $500 fine for his first documented offense. He previously received a first-offense warning in May.

Neither Greene nor Roy filed an appeal with the committee.

Roy told Forbes that he decided against an appeal because he sees “filing an appeal to tyrannical overlords is a futile gesture,” adding that it could leave him “without standing to sue, should the mood arise.”

TPM reached out to Greene’s office for comment.

In addition to Greene and Roy, five other Republican lawmakers have been hit with fines for failing to comply with the House floor’s mask mandate: Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY), Ralph Norman (R-SC), Brian Mast (R-FL), Beth Van Duyne (R-TX) and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA).

In July, Greene, Massie and Norman filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to challenge the constitutionality of the mask fines. They argued that the fines, which are deducted from lawmakers’ paychecks, violates the Constitution’s 27th Amendment that states a law that alters lawmakers’ pay can’t go into effect until after an election. The House floor mask mandate is technically a rule, however.

Earlier this year, Greene came under fire for comparing the House’s mask requirements to the Holocaust. Greene issued an overdue apology for her “offensive” comments after Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) threatened to censure her. Following Greene’s apology, Schneider backed off of his censure resolution, citing her apology after her visit to the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) first implemented the House’s floor mask mandate in July 2020 after several Republicans refused to comply with the COVID mitigation measure. Although the mask mandate was rescinded in June as cases of COVID-19 declined, it was reinstated about a month later as the spread of the delta variant prompted spikes in infections nationwide.

Read the statements below:

Latest News

Notable Replies

  1. Lock 'em up. And stop their paychecks.

  2. Whoopadeedo. Instead hit them where it hurts: barred from the House gym and cafeteria for a month.

  3. Getting your paycheck docked to pwn the libs.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

57 more replies

Participants

Avatar for bryan Avatar for sysprog Avatar for mattinpa Avatar for trnc Avatar for inversion Avatar for callmeeric Avatar for yskov Avatar for joelopines Avatar for tecmage Avatar for lastroth Avatar for davcbr Avatar for diggoryvenn Avatar for dommyluc Avatar for jmacaz Avatar for brian512 Avatar for coimmigrant Avatar for dannydorko Avatar for kelaine Avatar for maximus Avatar for realskeptic Avatar for kenga Avatar for occamscoin Avatar for rascal_crone Avatar for staggerlee

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: