Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), who tested positive for Covid-19, blames Republicans who “cruelly refused” to wear masks during the Capitol riots.
Jayapal announced Tuesday that she tested positive for Covid-19. She blamed Republican lawmakers for refusing to wear masks as they huddled together in a secure chamber after supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol building on Jan. 6.
In a statement released Tuesday, Jayapal, a Democrat, said, “I just received a positive COVID-19 test result after being locked down in a secured room at the Capitol where several Republicans not only cruelly refused to wear a mask but recklessly mocked colleagues and staff who offered them one.”
She continued: “Only hours after Trump incited a deadly assault on our Capitol, many Republicans still refused to take the bare minimum COVID-19 precaution and simply wear a damn mask in a crowded room during a pandemic—creating a superspreader event ON TOP of a domestic terrorist attack.”
Jayapal said GOP lawmakers should be “fully held accountable” for not wearing masks and for “endangering our lives because of their selfish idiocy. I’m calling for every single Member who refuses to wear a mask in the Capitol to be fined and removed from the floor by the Sergeant at Arms.”
But a video released by CBS News on January 6 shows Jayapal maskless as she huddled with other maskless lawmakers during the riots.
Jayapal is not wearing a mask for the entirety of the nearly 3 minute video. She is seen holding a makeshift gas mask which she doesn’t wear. Jayapal routinely doesn’t wear masks during committee hearings.
As the terrified congresswomen huddled together in fear, another maskless lawmaker prays loudly for divine intervention “in Jesus’ name.”
Three congresswomen tested positive for Covid-19 after the riots. Two of them wore face masks at all times.
Democrat New Jersey Rep. Bonnie Coleman tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday. She also blamed Republicans and pro-Trump supporters for her positive test.
Democrat Wisconsin Rep. Gwen Moore voted on the House floor for Rep. Nancy Pelosi as House Speaker, just five days after announcing she tested positive.
Jayapal’s office declined to respond when a reporter asked about the CBS video that showed the congresswoman not wearing a mask.
