Dozens of people ignoring coronavirus protocols filled a Wisconsin state capitol room for a hearing on legislation to limit the government’s response to public health emergencies.
The Assembly Committee on Constitution and Ethics hearing didn’t require masks, and those who filled the room didn’t wear masks or socially distance themselves Wednesday, ignoring the advice of public health officials.
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‘This is reckless and dangerous.’
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— Melissa Agard, a Democratic state senator
Photos posted on Twitter by Democratic Sen. Melissa Agard show participants gathered in a capitol overflow room to watch televised proceedings of the committee’s hearing. “We are nearly a year into this pandemic, and this is what we are seeing in the state capitol today: no masks, no social distancing, and no safety precautions for the staff who have no choice but to be in the building,” Agard wrote on Twitter. “This is reckless and dangerous.”
Lawmakers have been at odds about mask-wearing in committee hearings, with many Republican lawmakers choosing not to do so, the State Journal reported.
From the archives (December 2019): Trump campaign adviser tells Wisconsin Republicans in secret recording that voting-place tactics will be stepped up