Two county officials reportedly left a board meeting Tuesday after noticing that some people present were not wearing masks.
Sacramento County, California, supervisors Patrick Kennedy and Phil Serna left the building over members of the audience breaking the mask mandate, which is in place until next week, Fox News reported. Kennedy said if the general public is expected to follow the rules, then the officials must follow the state’s mask mandates that they put in place.
“It’s disconcerting to look out in the audience and see so many people flagrantly ignoring the requirements. I don’t care if you’re in the public chambers, at the bus, or if you’re at the French Laundry. You wear a mask,” he told KOVR Sacramento, according to Fox News. “When we, the county, are setting the rules for others we need to follow those rules too. We simply cannot preach water and drink wine.”
Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom tweeted Saturday that the state had administered 39 million doses of the vaccine and that COVID-19 cases are extraordinarily low. This sharp downward trend is true for the rest of the nation, as well.
NEW: California has now administered 39 MILLION vaccines.
71% of our adult population has received at least one vaccine.
And we have the lowest #COVID19 case rate in the country.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 6, 2021
Kennedy eventually rejoined the meeting virtually along with Serna, according to Fox News. Kennedy said despite his colleagues’ criticism, he does not regret his decision to walk out. (RELATED: Ignoring The Science, Liberals Are Rebelling Against Loosening Mask Mandates)
“People are going to judge me how they’re going to judge me,” he said. “I did what I felt was right. I followed my conscience and made what I thought was a principled decision.”
California is expected to lift its mask mandates on June 15, according to Fox News. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that fully vaccinated individuals do not need to wear a mask in small outdoor gatherings or when socializing with other immunized people in April.
Governors across the U.S. have lifted, and in some cases banned, mask mandates. Republican Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds banned mask mandates in public schools on May 20.