On the first day of a legislative session in a makeshift venue to allow for social distancing, a GOP lawmaker refused to wear a mask. The assembly’s first order of business was to vote that everyone present must wear a mask.
State Representative Darren Bailey sat at his desk smiling and refused to put one on. With a bipartisan vote of 81-27, they kicked him out.
“Doormen, please remove Rep. Bailey,” said state Rep. Jay Hoffman (D), before a group of men in masks escorted the maskless Bailey from the arena, the state’s temporary legislative home to allow for more social distancing.
There were even Republicans who rebuked him.
“I don’t think the people that sent us here to represent them today intended for us to focus our time on a mask showdown of whether you’re wearing it or you’re not,” said state Rep. Dan Brady (R), according to NPR Illinois.
Bailey has sued Governor J.B. Pritzker for his stay-at-home order. The case was to be heard in a Clay County circuit court on Friday. But this morning, the governor removed the filing from a state court to a federal court.
To see more on Bailey’s court showdown see here.
For more source info on Bailey’s removal from session see WaPo and CNN.