Atlanta

Supreme Court denies appeal by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, two others over $500 mask fines

ATLANTA — The United States Supreme Court denied an appeal from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and two other Republican representatives who were given fines for not wearing face coverings on the House floor in 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The mandate remained in place even after the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidance noting that “fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing.”

The other two lawmakers who had their appeals rejected were Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Ralph Norman of South Carolina.

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The lawmakers showed up on the House floor without masks, even posing for a selfie. The requirement was lifted in June 2021.

The justices did not comment on leaving $500 fines in place.

Lower courts had refused to disturb the fines, ruling that courts lack the power to review the mask policy.

Lawyers for House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, had urged the court to reject the appeal from fellow Republican representatives, though they noted that Johnson and every other member of the Republican leadership voted against the mask policy.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

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