Democratic California Rep. Eric Swalwell rebuffed Nick Dyer, spokesman for Republican Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, for telling him that he could ditch his mask.
The Hill’s Scott Wong reported on the confrontation, saying that Dyer had approached Swallwell and informed him, “Biden says you can take off your mask.” (RELATED: ‘She Knows What I Know’: GOP House Leader Says Pelosi Understands Why Swalwell Should Not Sit On Intel Committee)
“Swalwell confronted Dyer, got in his face and according to Dyer, said: ‘You don’t tell me what to f**king do!'” Wong continued.
Another verbal altercation just happened in the House:
MTG’s spokesman Nick Dyer told @RepSwalwell: “Biden says you can take off your mask”
Swalwell confronted Dyer, got in his face and according to Dyer, said: “You don’t tell me what to fucking do!”
— Scott Wong (@scottwongDC) May 14, 2021
Wong added clarification that although he had witnessed a confrontation between the two, he had not been close enough to hear exactly what was said.
I saw the altercation but was not close enough to hear Swalwell.
— Scott Wong (@scottwongDC) May 14, 2021
Swalwell appeared to confirm Dyer’s version of events, however, sharing Wong’s tweet and adding, “I had a mask on as I stepped off the Floor. An aide with @mtgreenee yelled at me to take my mask off. No one should be bullied for wearing a mask. So I told the bully what I thought of his order. Predictably, he went speechless. I regret I wasn’t more explicit.”
I had a mask on as I stepped off the Floor. An aide with @mtgreenee yelled at me to take my mask off. No one should be bullied for wearing a mask. So I told the bully what I thought of his order. Predictably, he went speechless. I regret I wasn’t more explicit. https://t.co/o8j0DXWOBm
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) May 14, 2021
Following a reversal in guidance from the CDC and then from President Joe Biden – which said that fully vaccinated people should not be required to wear masks indoors or outside — Republicans have petitioned House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to lift the mask requirement on the House floor.
Thus far, Pelosi has said that the mask rule will remain in place.