Kentucky Congressman’s Double Masking Sends Conflicting Message To Constituents

RepThomasMassie/Twitter/YouTube

February 8, 2021, 11:09 am*

Kentucky Representative Thomas Massie is being called out for the blatantly mixed message his masking situation is sending — suggesting he simply believes his anti-masker constituents to be fools.

Advertisement
Hide

A photo of the Republican Congressman wearing a mask that claims “I’m just wearing this so I won’t get fined” has been circulating around social media. It’s not unlike snarky masks other members of Congress have worn while in the public eye, clearly trying to get a rise out of their Democrat colleagues while signaling to their own base that they remain on the same anti-masking side.

Advertisement
Hide

But beneath Massie’s cloth mask is what appears to be a KN95 mask, a high filtration option that’s considered the best type of mask you can get outside of professional-grade N95 masks.

While Massie’s outer mask tells his constituents that he’s an anti-masker just trying to abide by the rules of Congress, the fact that he’s double masking with something so high quality suggests that he knows perfectly well that masks are effective and is doing what he can to protect himself.

Advertisement
Hide

When you wanna own the libs but also don’t want to die alone suffocating in the ICU.

— Jason Edgecombe (@jedgeco) February 5, 2021

Obviously, that last part is a good thing. The more people who stay safe and protected from COVID-19, the quicker we can all get back to some semblance of normal. But the hypocrisy present, and the fact that he’s willing to encourage his constituents to continue being anti-mask at the risk to their own health just to keep their support is unforgivable.

The N95 mask he’s wearing underneath really hammers home the delta between what politicians believe and what they tell their constituents. https://t.co/1oCkrYeNxv

— Andrew Exum (@ExumAM) February 5, 2021

Advertisement
Hide

By and large they think their constituents are stupid.

By and large they are correct in that assumption.

— Wil (@Wilfrie77917027) February 6, 2021

Exactly. Anyone that uses an N95 or KN95 appreciates the risks of aerosols (they aren’t wearing for comfort). The additional outer mask serves a purpose clinically but in this case is clearly intended as “performance art.”

— Michelle Prickett (@MPrickettMD) February 6, 2021

Advertisement
Hide

Rather than respond to the accusations of hypocrisy or answer the simple question of why he would willingly wear two masks — something that is absolutely not required by Congress at this time — Massie instead simply complained on Twitter that his ears “just can’t handle more masks” and has continued making divisive tweets regarding COVID-19, masks, and the vaccine.

Advertisement
Hide

Of course, after this one photo, it’s not clear why any of his constituents would continue to take anything he says at face value.

Share this article

*First Published: February 8, 2021, 7:35 am