Lauren Boebert Threw Mask at Staffer After Congress Reimposed Mandate

Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., this week threw a mask at a congressional staffer after she was told to wear one as part of the masking requirement that was recently reintroduced in Congress, Business Insider reports.

Boebert on Wednesday was seen being handed the mask before the congresswoman threw it in the face of the Democrat staffer who gave it to her, according to multiple reporters present at the time. This came after the Capitol’s physician reimplemented Congress’ mask mandate on Tuesday due to the ongoing spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant.

"Rep Lauren Boebert just threw a mask back at a Democratic floor staffer who tried to give her one, per source on the House floor who saw it happen," tweeted ABC News’ Ben Siegel. "As of last night, the latest House guidance requires mask wearing on the floor and in most group meetings/spaces."

CNN correspondent Manu Raju added that "A witness told me they saw GOP Rep Lauren Boebert throw a mask back at a floor staffer when she was offered one while trying to walk onto the floor maskless."

In a statement to the Independent, Boebert said that she "refuses to comply with Speaker Pelosi’s anti-science, totalitarian mask mandate" and that "Americans should not succumb to the bully tactics from extreme leftists. If members of Congress cede our freedoms here, what hope is there for the people we represent?"

A spokesperson for the congresswoman claimed that she "slid" the mask across a table to the staffer and did not throw it in the staffer’s face, as many have reported.

"Rep. Boebert refuses to comply with Speaker Pelosi's anti-science, totalitarian mask mandate," the spokesperson told Business Insider. "When offered a mask, she returned it with a quick slide across the table."

Boebert later tweeted on Wednesday: "We might as well start calling this a Perma-demic. Permanent masking. Permanent state of emergency. Permanent control. This will go on until the American people just say enough is enough. The tyrants aren't giving this up!"

The congresswoman was one of 24 Republicans to refuse to wear a mask despite the mandate and rising case numbers across the nation.

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