Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who is on the heels of coasting to victory in his primary challenge against a Trump-backed candidate, said Friday that there has been no accountability in states when it comes to governors ordering mask-wearing in public that should require a vote in the legislature.
Massie pointed to his own state under Democrat Gov. Andy Beshear, who said Kentuckians must wear masks in public beginning Friday in order to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Massie said people in Kentucky would do well to take these orders with a grain of salt and then choose what option works best for them.
“Most of the sheriffs here are going to refuse to enforce it,” Massie told the “Todd Starnes Show.” “These are just, in my opinion, suggestions. We should take them all with a grain of salt because, already, one of our state judges struck down the method that our governor is using to issue these edicts.”
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Beshear signed an executive order on Thursday that is intended to span 30 days, The Courier-Journal reported. Beshear said it is “time to get serious.” The paper pointed out that there has been 18,245 cases in the state and announced 333 new cases on Thursday.
Massie said any American who believes in a Republican form of government– which means voters choose their representatives to make decisions on their behalf– knows that these decisions need to be taken up in state legislatures.
“If you’re going to do this stuff, at least have people who represent the people—the voters—be accountable to them by taking a vote. Don’t let a tyrant run these states,” he said.
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Todd Starnes, the host of the program, pointed out how inconsistent these guidelines have been. He pointed to Memphis, Tenn., the city where he broadcasts his radio show, and pointed out how the health department closed every bar except for the ones on Beale Street, the popular tourist location. He said they can remain open due to a loophole in the law regarding historical designations.
“And the people here, especially the small pub owners and diner owners, they’re throwing their hands up in the air because they can’t keep this up,” Starnes said. “They’re going to go under.”
Massie said it has been troubling to see how these guidelines seem to go from 15 days to 115 days and he said the other question is how long these mask guidelines will be in place since there may never be a vaccine.
“Any time you start doing something, you have to try and figure out when you are going to stop doing this,” Massie said.