Ralph Northam is the governor of Virginia. Last year, his old high school yearbook cropped up and it turns out he posed for photos in blackface. He apologized and stayed in the governor’s mansion even though there were widespread calls (from Republicans and Democrats) for him to resign. He stayed and showed other politicians how to deal with that kind of self-made crisis: to get woke AF fast and to use the remainder of your political career focusing on social justice and good management. All of which to say, I am really enjoying everything Gov. Northam has been doing this year. He’s not only pushed progressive policies and made Election Day a state holiday, he’s also been doing good work around the pandemic. He’s been reasonable, he’s used medicine and science as his political barometers, and there are big parts of the state which are still in some state of lockdown.
All of which to say, Virginia is still in “phase two” of the re-opening. Masks are mandatory for all indoor settings, and up to 50 people can gather in one space (increased from 10). This is the VA law now, governor’s orders. True story: the Trump/Pence’s reelection campaign office is located in Northern Virginia. Take a look at this tweet-and-delete from Mike Pence yesterday:
He deleted the tweet soon after people got in his mentions to inform him that he and his campaign staffers were violating Virginia law. Which is just another indication of how f–king stupid all of these people are. To gather in such a large group, INDOORS, with no one wearing a mask? Pence, Trump and the whole lot of MAGA dumbasses have made “not wearing a mask” into their new culture war and it’s so dumb.
This photo has been deleted by @Mike_Pence after @notlarrysabato flagged that the gathering violates Virginia law pic.twitter.com/1nMpT37KpN
— Daniel Uhlfelder (@DWUhlfelderLaw) June 11, 2020
Pence and dozens who work for Trump flagrantly violating Virginia public health orders that face coverings be worn at any “indoor place shared by groups of people who are in close proximity to each other.”https://t.co/eSDHYuY3Hk
This isn’t “law and order,” it’s a huge problem. https://t.co/6776TmAQR7
— Rep. Don Beyer (@RepDonBeyer) June 11, 2020
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
Morons, all of them. Why the hell has parts of America made mask wearing something “political”? It’s so damn strange and ridiculous. Motherf*ckers this is about health and safety !
People have been fighting wearing seatbelts for years because “MAH RIGHTS!”
This doesn’t surprise me.
Yes. But interestingly I think most people were initially okay with masks until the right wing propaganda networks reminded them they should be outraged about it.
helmet laws, too.
Yeah, don’t get me starting on the Florida men on their Harleys with no helmets.
Seatbelts and helmets are for self-protection. Masks are to protect others. It is a giant FU. And it is on purpose.
I don’t see how “kill off the base” is a viable political strategy. But I am not a republican.
“I don’t see how “kill off the base” is a viable political strategy. But I am not a republican.”
Great point!
They’re the same people who fight recycling and environmental conservation as “feminine”.
I mean…at this point is anyone surprised?
And still no one will do anything. It’s depressing.
Super excited and proud to announce that I’m moving to northern Virginia. Northam has been a decent governor, but McAuliffe really deserves the credit for getting the economy into such a healthy place that Northam could run with it.
Ive lived in DC since 2006 but I was laid off in March due to the pandemic and I was able to get a new job in northern Virginia! I’ve been really pleasantly surprised by the social distancing and use of masks anytime I’ve had to be in public. The grocery stores have also been well stocked, and I found neither of those to be the case in DC.
Congratulations!
Never mind that they grabbed the one African American dude and dragged him up front and center.
I thought the same thing! LOL
My thought exactly.
Same here.
He probably doesn’t even work there. They probably called another office “Hey, can you come over here for a few minutes, we have a question about the, um, leases in this building….”
Quite the diverse team they have there. #nomoreyears
This election is such a joke. I hate everything
What did Mother have to say about this? Big thing or small thing – if they try a cover-up, they are crooked. Ergo: Pence is well dodgy. Sticking on a conservative suit doesn’t make him respectable, just as me standing in my garage doesn’t make me a car. I can’t wait to see the back of every last one of these magats.
Hey, didn’t you get the memo? Laws don’t apply to white males.
I live in Northern Virginia and would just like to point out that Gov. Northam also violated our state’s mask rules. He visited Virginia Beach without a mask and posed with supporters.
https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/local/mycity/virginia-beach/northam-addresses-why-he-wasnt-wearing-face-mask-while-visiting-virginia-beach-oceanfront/291-eb63a187-1f64-4ac9-a2a4-1f60b35b29ce
(Not trying to defend Pence, I just haven’t supported Northam since I found out about the black face incident.)
You don’t have to wear a mask outside, so he really only violated social distancing rules. Which, I get is a big deal. But I can see where if someone approaches you as a public figure you may lean into reflex about posing for a photo or whatever. He should have said no and reminded them about social distancing though.
Doesn’t the law only require masks indoors? He was outside, so not in violation of his order.
Yes, it’s only indoors. I don’t know why people would think you have to wear a mask to the beach. I’ve even had people tell me we should wear them for our family bike rides. We would pass out in this heat with a mask on outside.
Folks need to be six feet apart with mask.
Think Elon Musk tried this and some of the factory workers have COVID 19 now
Trump, Pence, and the Republicans show brazen disrespect for American democracy, the rule of law, Democrats and anyone who thinks differently — as the GOP abuses the power of their offices and obstructs justice 24/7. VP Pence looks foolish and undermines his credibility when he tweets and backtrack deletes.
Trump-GOP-Evangelicals-RW Media’s constant lies, reality denials, spread of misinformation and conspiracies for money and political power that emotionally, psychologically, physically, and financial harms the American people have been exposed. America and the GOP are learning the valuable lesson: Deception as a means of control has a shelf life.
Trump-GOP are an existential threat to America, the world and planet Earth and must be voted out of office. Vote in 2020 and in every election like your life depends on it.
You are correct. Our lives do depend on it.
Unfortunately, HOA Kern County, same insanity. Instructions from the GM masks to be worn at all times, except for employees and our personal favorite cronies. Gotta love screenshots, so much for deleting. 🙂
That dimwit next to Pence is none other than my illustrious governor, vote suppressor Brian Kemp. I just don’t understand how neither Pence nor Trump have caught COVID. They don’t social distance. They don’t wear masks. They are science-phobic.
I am always under the assumption that they have had it and just never made it public.
I assume that karma hasn’t caught up with them yet and somehow they are both just asymptomatic carriers.
I work in public health and his whole thing has me so frustrated.