Georgia gubernatorial candidate and fierce mask proponent Stacey Abrams angrily defended a recent photo of her posing maskless during a visit to an Atlanta elementary school last week – the latest Democrat to ignore her own demand for mask mandates.
Abrams sparked outrage on Twitter after she shared a picture on Friday of herself maskless while surrounded by dozens of children forced to wear face coverings during a visit to an Atlanta elementary school last week – the latest Democrat to ignore her own demand for mask mandates.
Abrams, who has been branded a ‘mask fascist’ on the social media platform, retweeted the photo of her visit to Glenwood Elementary School on Friday, before quickly deleting the tweet.
The 48-year-old Democrat had recently called Georgia Republican Governor Brian Kemp ‘incompetent’ for moving to block local mask mandates.
In Georgia, mask use is recommended both indoors and in public. Last summer, Kemp attempted to block local mask mandates. After easing his order in the fall, cities such as Atlanta, Savannah, Macon and Athens have reinstated citywide mandates.
Kemp took to Twitter to condemn his rival as he prepares for a likely showdown with Abrams in the fall.
‘Stacey Abrams wants state government mask mandates for Georgians and their children. But it looks like they wouldn’t apply when she’s attending a photo op,’ he tweeted.
The controversy comes on the heels of a series of public outcries against Democratic leaders who have failed to abide by the same same draconian COVID-19 guidelines they have preached throughout the pandemic.
In early January, New York Congresswoman Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez revealed she had become infected with COVID-19 after she was photographed partying maskless at a Miami drag brunch. The state’s governor, Kathy Hochul, and Sen. Kirstin Gillibrand have been photographed skirting New York’s mask mandate.
Last week, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and San Francisco Mayor London Breed were spotted breaking their own indoor mask mandate during the NFL Championship Game in LA.
Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams sparked outrage on Twitter after she shared a picture of her maskless and surrounded by dozens of masked children during a visit to an elementary school last week
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, who may face Abrams in the Fall, also took to Twitter to voice his condemnation for the picture and what it entailed.
Abrams was forced to delete the controversial picture after she was slammed on Twitter.
The editor of the National Review, Rich Lowry, joined the criticism
Abrams was all smiles in the photo originally shared by Dr Holly Brookins, the school’s principal, who said Abrams read her book, Stacey’s Extraordinary Words, to the class to kick off Black History Month.
‘Spending time with Glennwood’s amazing students, faculty and staff ranks as spectacular, delightful and outstanding,’ Abrams tweeted on Friday.
The Abrams was forced to delete the controversial picture after she was slammed on Twitter.
‘Confirmation, if any were needed, that Stacey Abrams is a member of the Democratic elite in good standing—mask hypocrisy is practically a status symbol now,’ the editor of the National Review, Rich Lowry, tweeted in response to the snap.
Political Commentator Clay Travis wrote: ‘The number of left wing politicians who post photos posing without masks while all the kids around them are wearing masks is stunning. Here is Stacey Abrams doing it. This is child abuse. political commentator Clay Travis said.
Meanwhile, Politico journalist Alex Thompson ventured to suggest that the picture would come back to haunt Abrams during Georgia’s gubernatorial race in the fall.
‘Have a feeling this photo – which Abrams promoted on her own account – of her appearing maskless surrounded by kids in masks is gonna be in a lot of ads this fall,’ Johnson tweeted.
‘Are these little children forced to wear masks to protect @StaceyAbrams?’ Columnist Larry O’Connor asked on the social media platform.
‘What kind of cruel monster makes little children cover their faces so they can have a photo op without fear of viral infection? If you’re so afraid that you make kids wear masks around you, stay home!,’ he added.
‘Spending time with Glennwood’s amazing students, faculty and staff ranks as spectacular, delightful and outstanding, Abrams tweeted on Friday.
Abrams, who recently called Georgia Governor Brian Kemp ‘incompetent’ for moving to block local mask mandates, has since deleted her tweet.
More than 32,000 people have died of COVID-10 since the beginning of the pandemic in Georgia
Georgia had 272,046 new cases of COVID infections last week, down dramatically from the weekly record-high of 695,048 set between Jan 10–Jan 16, 2022, as the more mild Omicron variant begins to wane around the country.
Abrams is the most recent Democrat leader embroiled in controversy after being accused of not following through with their support for mask use.
Last week, Californians were left seething after its top leaders – including Governor Newsom, LA Mayor Garcetti, and San Francisco Mayor Breed – were spotted maskless during an NFL game Sunday in defiance of state and local mandates.
The smiling Democrats were seen posing barefaced for photographs with basketball legend Magic Johnson inside a box suite at the SoFi Stadium during the January 30 game that pitted the Los Angeles Rams against the San Francisco 49ers.
Newsom told reporters Monday that he only took his mask off momentarily to pose for a photo.
‘I was very judicious yesterday … In my left hand’s the mask, and I took a photo,’ he said. ‘The rest of the time I wore it, as we all should.’
State mask mandates require Californians to wear masks in all indoor public spaces and workplaces through February 15 regardless of vaccination status. In Los Angeles County, residents are expected to mask up in ‘all indoor public settings, venues, gatherings, and public and private businesses’. Masks are also required at all outdoor mega events.
It appears some of the photos were taken outside the boxed-in suite, but it wouldn’t make much difference at the So-Fi Stadium, where masks are required indoors and outdoors during events with more than 5,000 people.
The City of Los Angeles also mandates masks for large events.
Republican state Assemblyman Kevin Kiley – who ran against Newsom during last year’s recall – called the governor out on Twitter.
‘In light of his conduct at the football game, and in light of what empirical data and common sense have long dictated, I’m calling on Gavin Newsom to end the school mask mandate,’ Kiley tweeted.
Magic Johnson and California Governor Gavin Newsom were among the high-profile figures spotted without masks during the NFL game in Los Angeles
San Francisco Mayor London Breed (left), Johnson (center) and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti (right) smile for the camera without masks in defiance of county and private rules
On January 9, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 32, said she caught COVID days after she was snapped partying maskless at a Miami drag brunch.
The Socialist firebrand made the announcement on her official Twitter page, sharing a statement on House of Representatives-headed paper which said: ‘Representative Ocasio-Cortez has received a positive test result for COVID-19.
‘She is experiencing symptoms and is recovering at home. The Congresswoman received her booster shot this Fall, and encourages everyone to get their booster and follow all CDC guidance.’
It was unclear when or how AOC became infected.
Despite staunchly advocating for mask and vaccine mandates, she had abandoned her own rhetoric a week before becoming infected during a trip to Miami where she was spotted maskless at numerous venues.
AOC has tested positive for COVID days after she was pictured partying maskless in Miami with actor Billy Porter (pictured in animal print)
AOC and Porter hugged during the outdoor event – he has yet to comment on her diagnosis, and its unclear if the Pose star has himself been exposed or infected
New York Governor Kathy Hochul also landed in hot water for posing maskless for photos in October, defying her own mandate. And last month, the state’s junior senator, Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand said she ‘would do better’ after she was caught on video at an upstate restaurant ignoring the indoor mask mandate.
‘We all need to do our part to help stop the spread of Omicron and that means following state and local guidance,’ Gillibrand told Fox News Digital. ‘That includes me and I will do better going forward.’
Gillibrand was slammed by Innovo Kitchen’s owner John La Posta, who shared his frustration at Gillibrand’s double standards, along with surveillance footage that showed her at the restaurant without a mask.
‘The problem with NY politics in a nut shell. My Senator blowing past my manager before she can even ask her to put a mask on. Walking right past a really big sign that says ‘masks required to enter,” the owner of the Latham restaurant wrote on Instagram.
Democrat Senator Kirsten Gillibrand was caught in surveillance video without a mask at Latham restaurant Innovo Kitchen
Gillibrand was slammed by Innovo Kitchen’s owner, John La Posta, on Friday, after the Democrat was caught in surveillance video not wearing a mask at the Latham restaurant
‘The masks are a mandate from the Governor. As good citizens, agree or not, we must follow our leaders. Her guest is graciously wearing one. I guess Senator Gillibrand thinks that the Governor is wrong or she is special and above the rules,’ he went on to say.
Gillibrand has been very outspoken about her support for vaccination and mask use.
‘Protect yourself and help ease the strain on hospitals and health care workers. Get vaccinated and boosted,’ she tweeted earlier this week.
In the surveillance video shared by La Posta, Gillibrand can be seen strolling maskless through the restaurant in upstate New York.
La Posta said staff at the restaurant did not have a chance to ask Gillibrand to wear a mask after she blew past a ‘Masks required to enter’ sign.
La Posta told the New York Post he believed his staff deserved an apology.
‘It’s hypocritical to me. The arrogance is just breathtaking. Our politicians should be with us, not against us,’ he told the outlet.