San Antonio U.S. Rep. Chip Roy disregards federal mask rules on a commercial airline flight
Posted By Sanford Nowlin on Thu, Jul 1, 2021 at 1:23 PM
- Gage Skidmore
- U.S. Rep. Chip Roy speaks at the Young Americans for Liberty Convention in Austin.
Say what you will about Republican U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, but he’s been remarkably consistent with his attempts to politicize the pandemic.
During the health crisis, the San Antonio-Austin congressman has called COVID-19 a hoax, pushed back at health experts’ advice to limit the size of Thanksgiving gatherings during a spike in cases and been reprimanded for refusing to wear a mask inside the U.S. Capitol.
Now, the Associated Press is reporting that Roy went without a mask for at least a part of a Southwest Airlines flight on Tuesday, an apparent breach of federal law.
The AP reports that a person who wished to remain anonymous sent it a photo and a three-minute video showing Roy, sans mask, chatting with fellow passengers in the aisle of the plane. He was flying from Washington to Texas to attend Gov. Greg Abbott’s border photo op with former President Donald Trump, according to the AP.
The Centers for Disease Control has said vaccinated people should no longer feel the need to wear masks in public places. However, federal law still requires face coverings n commercial flights and indoor spaces at airports. Violations are punishable by civil fines that start at $250.
Roy’s office didn’t respond to “multiple calls and emails” from the AP seeking comment, including questions about whether the congressman has been vaccinated.
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