In a video posted by Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) on Instagram Monday evening, fellow progressive congresswoman Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) can be seen celebrating her birthday with friends and colleagues in an outdoor setting without a face mask in sight.
"Happy birthday to our fearless CPC chair," reads Tlaib's caption on the video.
As a cake with lit candles is placed in front of a smiling Jayapal, she leans forward and blows out her candles to claps and cheers from her fellow party-goers.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), celebrated her birthday maskless last night and blew out candles on her cake, according to video from Rep. Tlaib.
— Spencer Brown (@itsSpencerBrown) September 21, 2021
Jayapal has said those who don’t wear masks are behaving “cruelly” and called for fines to be issued to unmasked members of Congress. pic.twitter.com/F1XvwjlX3p
The party looks like a good time for the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, but Jayapal has not always been so cavalier about COVID and masking requirements.
For her part, Jayapal has already had the Wuhan coronavirus, testing positive back in January. She was pretty clear then about who she blamed and why. As Julio reported at the time, she released a statement eviscerating unmasked Republicans for her diagnosis that she said came from unmasked legislators who were sheltering with her in the Capitol on January 6th.
"Dr. Brian Monahan, the Attending Physician of the United States Congress, advised representatives and Congressional staff on Sunday that those in the secured room could have, 'been exposed to another occupant with coronavirus infection,'" explains the statement from Jayapal's office. "The duration in the room was multiple hours and several Republicans not only cruelly refused to wear a mask but mocked colleagues and staff who offered them one."
Ah, so those who refuse to wear masks are treating others around them "cruelly." Got it. Jayapal also gave a quote in the statement making her feelings about masking even more clear.
"Too many Republicans have refused to take this pandemic and virus seriously, and in doing so, they endanger everyone around them. Only hours after President Trump incited a deadly assault on our Capitol, our country, and our democracy, 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," Jayapal said.
Any Member who refuses to wear a mask should be fully held accountable 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.
— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) January 12, 2021
"I am also calling for serious fines to be immediately levied on every single Member who refuses to wear a mask in the Capitol,” Jayapal continued. “Additionally, any Member who refuses to wear a mask should be immediately removed from the floor by the Sergeant at Arms. This is not a joke. Our lives and our livelihoods are at risk, and anyone who refuses to wear a mask should be fully held accountable for endangering our lives because of their selfish idiocy.”
Even more recently, Jayapal has continued to advise Americans to wear masks, advice she and her progressive friends themselves ignored.
??Wear your mask.
— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) August 17, 2021
??Get your shot.
??Protect your community.
?Save lives.
We can defeat this crisis but only if we all do our part.https://t.co/4a3jfj5el7
When this pandemic started, we watched older Americans die as Trump & COVID-deniers fought mask mandates & social distancing.
— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) August 12, 2021
Now we watch younger Americans die as GOP Governors & deniers fight vaccinations & mask mandates.
Enough. Wear masks. Get vaccinated. Save lives.
Was Jayapal safe to party without a mask? Almost certainly, yes. She's already had the Wuhan coronavirus which studies have suggested offers multiple times the protection than those who are only vaccinated. Jayapal is also vaccinated, giving her the best possible combo immunity against COVID. She was outdoors where there's good airflow, too. The only real eyebrow raising thing is her blowing out the candles on her cake... which presumably people ate with her respiratory droplets all over it.
But she was unafraid, as are many other Americans — especially those who, like Jayapal, have had the Wuhan coronavirus and/or are fully vaccinated.
In any case, Jayapal is still being incredibly hypocritical. This is only the latest instance of "Wuhan coronavirus restrictions for thee but not for me" as our know-betters in Congress tell the American people what they must do in order to remain safe while doing the exact opposite because their rules and mandates are inconvenient or incompatible with a good time.
If members of Congress are able to make choices for what level of precaution they want to take, the rest of America should be free to do the same.
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