House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) was spotted without a mask in close proximity to others while at the White House on Thursday afternoon, which came shortly after she warned against similar behavior earlier in the day.
During her own press conference on Thursday, Pelosi seemed to suggest that people should continue to wear masks because otherwise people are relying on “the honor system” when someone claims that they are vaccinated. Pelosi made the remarks when she was asked about when the Capitol would return to normal and whether “so many people” not being vaccinated was playing a part in the decision making.
“We have to wait for them to be vaccinated, because they are selfishly a dangerment [sic] to other people, including staff people here,” Pelosi said. “So while we are hopeful, and I join the president in being hopeful that we can reach a place where it is safe for people to be. What is this, the honor system? The honor system, as to whether somebody’s been vaccinated? Do you want them breathing in your face on the strength of their honor?”
Pelosi later said that “this is about science and governance” and that she has a responsibility to make sure that the House is not a “Petri dish” because “of the selfishness of some not to be vaccinated or to wear a mask, because it requires us to wear a mask.”
“But it’s not a, shall we say, subjective decision,” Pelosi later added. “The attending physician has said, ‘Until everybody’s vaccinated, we wear masks.'”
Pelosi later attended an event at the White House where President Joe Biden signed a bill into law, and at the event she was spotted not wearing a mask while being in close proximity to others who were not wearing masks.
WATCH:
WHERE ARE THERE MASKS????? pic.twitter.com/RFi52dCnUw
— Barstool News Network (@BarstoolNewsN) May 20, 2021
Pelosi on her unscientific mask wearing: "What is this the honor system, the honor system as to whether somebody's been vaccinated, do you want them breathing in your face?!"
A few hours later: Pelosi will gladly let you breathe in her face IF you're vaccinated. https://t.co/DYCmEa18QY pic.twitter.com/jtnrSJawFX
— Julia Friedland (@JuliaFriedland) May 20, 2021
Pelosi made the remarks earlier in the day during the following exchange with a reporter:
REPORTER: Hi, thank you. Just to follow up on that, the president has talked about July Fourth as being maybe this time when the country can begin to gather more and get back to normal. Do you see any openings or other aspects of the Capitol to visitors? And again, knowing that so many people have not been vaccinated, do you just keep waiting for them or is there an alternative?
PELOSI: We have to wait for them to be vaccinated, because they are selfishly a dangerment [sic] to other people, including staff people here. So while we are hopeful, and I join the president and being hopeful that we can reach a place where it is safe for people to be. What is this, the honor system? The honor system, as to whether somebody’s been vaccinated? Do you want them breathing in your face on the strength of their honor? So, let’s just see, let’s just see.
And again, this is about science and governance, and science and governance. We have a responsibility to make sure that the House of the Representatives’ chamber is not a Petri dish because of the selfishness of some not to be vaccinated or to wear a mask, because it requires us to wear a mask. We could come to a place where we say, “If you don’t want to wear a mask and you don’t want to — if you’re not vaccinated, don’t even come to the floor. We have facilities up above in the gallery where people can come to vote.” We don’t want to deter anybody’s ability to exercise their constitutional duties. We have that responsibility as well. So we’re trying to balance everybody being able to exercise his or her constitutional duties, as well as protect the staff and the other members.
Now, I know a lot of things, as Speaker of the House, I know a lot of things. And I know a lot about people’s predispositions and the rest, because they share them with me. And I have to make judgements based on what the vulnerability are of our members as well. But it’s not a, shall we say, subjective decision. The attending physician has said, “Until everybody’s vaccinated, we wear masks.”