Photos uploaded to social media appear to show Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser celebrating her birthday maskless hours before her mask mandate went into effect for the District.
“When your [sic] asked to Dj for the Mayor!!! Happy Birthday @mayor_bowser,” read the caption of a since-deleted Instagram post, featuring a maskless Bowser at a large gathering along with comedian Dave Chappelle.
Was the two days notice on implementing the mask mandate so @MayorBowser could have her birthday party??? Absolutely classic. pic.twitter.com/Ir18KOEPqc
— Bradley Engle (@BradEngle) July 31, 2021
“#DCisOpen and #DaveChappelle reopened @TheAnthemDC on Friday night!,” another post from Bowser’s chief of staff John Falcicchio said.
#DCisOpen and #DaveChappelle reopened @TheAnthemDC on Friday night! pic.twitter.com/MiDypxUSCC
— John J. Falcicchio (@falcicchio) July 31, 2021
Bowser announced on Thursday that the district would be re-imposing an indoor mask mandate for all individuals over the age of two regardless of vaccination status. The city has had only two deaths from COVID-19 in the last two weeks.
“I know D.C. residents have been very closely following the public health guidelines and they will embrace this,” the mayor said when making the announcement.
The mayor was also criticized in November when she traveled to Delaware to attend President Joe Biden’s speech declaring victory in the 2020 presidential election — in violation of her own rule forcing travelers from outside of the district to quarantine for 14 days.
“I do a lot of things to advance the interests of the District of Columbia,” Bowser said. “And some of them are formal, and some of them are informal, but all of them are necessary,” Bowser said of the trip at the time. (RELATED: Here Are 9 Lame Excuses Politicians Gave For Breaking Their Own COVID Rules)
A spokesperson for the mayor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.