GOP congressman suing Pelosi over mask fines tests positive for COVID-19
Republican Congressman Ralph Norman, who is suing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi over a fine he received for violating the House's original mask mandate, has tested positive for COVID-19. The representative from South Carolina tweeted Thursday he's experiencing only "mild" symptoms, crediting his fully vaccinated status.
Norman, along with fellow Republicans Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, filed a lawsuit against Pelosi last week claiming that the $500 fines they received in May for failing to wear a mask while on the House floor were unconstitutional.
"After experiencing minor symptoms this morning, I sought a covid-19 test and was just informed the test results were positive," the congressman wrote. "Thankfully, I have been fully vaccinated and my symptoms remain mild. To every extent possible, I will continue my work virtually while in quarantine for the next ten (10) days."
In the lawsuit, Norman, Greene and Massie argue the mask mandate, which was recently reimposed, violates the 27th Amendment, which says the salaries of House members are determined by their own vote. They claimed the fines are in essence an unconstitutional reduction of their salaries.
The House has reimposed a mask mandate given the rise of the Delta variant.
Norman is not the only fully vaccinated member of Congress to contract COVID-19. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina earlier this week said he tested positive and was experiencing mild symptoms.
Breakthrough infections in vaccinated people are occurring, but most of the cases are mild or asymptomatic. They point out that the vast majority of hospitalizations and deaths occur among the unvaccinated.
"If you do get infected, the likelihood of your getting a severe outcome of the infection is very low," Dr. Anthony Fauci said on CBS News' "Face the Nation" Sunday. "It is much more likely that you will be either without symptoms or minimally symptomatic. So the vaccine is doing what you want it to do. It's protecting people from getting sick."
Zachary Hudak contributed to this report.