New Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who supported QAnon, caused discord on Sunday at the new Congress oath when she refused to put on a mask despite requests from House staff. according to Jake Sherman of Politico. “House floor staff say two new Republicans, including. @ Mtgreenee, have to put on masks. By now, they seem to be telling floor staff they won’t put it on. Taylor Greene leaves the word with the other R, who was trying to identify himself, “Sherman tweeted. He noted that Trump’s ally, Louie Gohmert (R-TX) – who has pushed for the annulment of the presidential election – also remained without a mask on the floor of the House. After Greene’s refusal to disguise himself, Republican and Democratic personnel entered a “party shouting to the ground. So this Congress is already going very well.” Sherman tweeted.
The ceremony takes place amid a drastic increase in COVID-19 cases across the country. Several members of the House have been in quarantine due to exposure to COVID and were involved in swearing in and voting for Speaker of “safe” Plexiglas enclosures, according to Capitol Hill doctor Brian Monahan.
Greene later attacked Twitter, directing his anger against Democratic Congresswoman Gwen Moore, who announced on Dec. 28 that she had tested positive for COVID. Moore He told a reporter Sunday that she had been quarantined for two weeks (asking questions about the date of diagnosis) and that her doctor advised her that it was safe to attend the oath. However, Moore did not use a Plexiglas enclosure to vote, he reportedly angered Republicans. Greene complained, “@SpeakerPelosi changed the rules of COVID because she’s desperate to hold on to the hammer. No one can attack me with masks when Pelosi sends Democrats to the ground with positive COVID evidence to vote for president.”
Meanwhile, a new member of Congress never arrived at the ceremony: Luke Letlow, a 41-year-old Republican, died of the virus just before the new year.
With additional reports from Arya Hodjat