Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams sparked outrage on Twitter after she shared a picture of her maskless and surrounded by dozens of masked children during a visit to an elementary school last week.
The Democrat, who has been branded a ‘mask fascist’ on the social media platform, retweeted the photo of her visit at Glenwood Elementary School on Friday, raising instant criticism of critics.
The photo had been originally shared by Dr Holly Brookins, the school’s principal, who said Abrams, 48, had read the class fo small children her book Stacey’s Extraordinary Words to kick off Black History Month.
Abrams, who recently called Georgia Governor Brian Kemp ‘incompetent’ for moving to block local mask mandates, has since deleted her tweet.
Kemp, who may face Abrams in the Fall election, also took to Twitter to voice his condemnation for the picture and what it entailed.
‘Stacey Abrams wants state government mask mandates for Georgians and their children. But it looks like they wouldn’t apply when she’s attending a photo op,’ he tweeted.
The controversy comes on the heels of a series of public outcries against Democrat leaders who have failed to abide by the same same draconian COVID-19 guidelines they have preached throughout the pandemic.
In early January, Democrat Congresswoman Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez revealed she had become infected with COVID-19 after she was photographed partying maskless at a Miami drag brunch.
More recently, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and San Francisco Mayor London Breed were spotted breaking their own indoor mask mandate during an NFL game.
Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams sparked outrage on Twitter after she shared a picture of her maskless and surrounded by dozens of masked children during a visit to an elementary school last week
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, who may face Abrams in the Fall, also took to Twitter to voice his condemnation for the picture and what it entailed.
Abrams was forced to delete the controversial picture after she was slammed on Twitter.
The editor of the National Review, Rich Lowry, joined the criticism
‘Spending time with Glennwood’s amazing students, faculty and staff ranks as spectacular, delightful and outstanding, Abrams tweeted on Friday.
The picture had been originally shared by Brookins, who captioned it: ‘Extraordinary way to kick off the 3rd annual African-American Read-in at GlennWood and Black History Month.’
Abrams was forced to delete the controversial picture after she was slammed on Twitter.
‘Confirmation, if any were needed, that Stacey Abrams is a member of the Democratic elite in good standing—mask hypocrisy is practically a status symbol now,’ the editor of the National Review, Rich Lowry, tweeted in response to the snap.
Political Commentator Clay Travis wrote: ‘The number of left wing politicians who post photos posing without masks while all the kids around them are wearing masks is stunning. Here is Stacey Abrams doing it. This is child abuse. political commentator Clay Travis said.
Meanwhile, Politico journalist Alex Thompson ventured to suggest that the picture would come back to haunt Abrams during Georgia’s gubernatorial race in the Fall.
‘Spending time with Glennwood’s amazing students, faculty and staff ranks as spectacular, delightful and outstanding, Abrams tweeted on Friday.
‘Have a feeling this photo—which Abrams promoted on her own account—of her appearing maskless surrounded by kids in masks is gonna be in a lot of ads this fall,’ Johnson tweeted.
‘Are these little children forced to wear masks to protect @StaceyAbrams?’ Columnist Larry O’Connor asked on the social media platform.
‘What kind of cruel monster makes little children cover their faces so they can have a photo op without fear of viral infection? If you’re so afraid that you make kids wear masks around you, stay home!,’ he added.
In Georgia, more than 32,000 people have died of COVID-10 since the beginning of the pandemic, compared to more than a million nationwide.
The state has more than 2.3 million COVID infections, roughly 3percent of the country’s total.
Last week, Californians were left seething after its top leaders – including Governor Newsom, LA Mayor Garcetti, and San Francisco Mayor Breed – were spotted maskless during an NFL game Sunday in defiance of state and local mandates.
The smiling Democrats were seen posing barefaced for photographs with basketball legend Magic Johnson inside a box suite at the SoFi Stadium during the January 30 game that pitted the Los Angeles Rams against the San Francisco 49ers.
Newsom told reporters Monday that he only took his mask off momentarily to pose for a photo.
‘I was very judicious yesterday … In my left hand’s the mask, and I took a photo,’ he said. ‘The rest of the time I wore it, as we all should.’
State mask mandates require Californians to wear masks in all indoor public spaces and workplaces through February 15 regardless of vaccination status. In Los Angeles County, residents are expected to mask up in ‘all indoor public settings, venues, gatherings, and public and private businesses’. Masks are also required at all outdoor mega events.
It appears some of the photos were taken outside the boxed-in suite, but it wouldn’t make much difference at the So-Fi stadium, where masks are required indoors and outdoors during events with more than 5,000 people.
The City of Los Angeles also mandates masks for large events.
Republican state Assemblyman Kevin Kiley – who ran against Newsom during last year’s recall – called the governor out on Twitter.
‘In light of his conduct at the football game, and in light of what empirical data and common sense have long dictated, I’m calling on Gavin Newsom to end the school mask mandate,’ Kiley tweeted.
Magic Johnson and California Governor Gavin Newsom were among the high-profile figures spotted without masks during the NFL game in Los Angeles
San Francisco Mayor London Breed (left), Johnson (center) and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti (right) smile for the camera without masks in defiance of county and private rules
The smiling Democrats were seen posing barefaced for photographs inside a box suite at the SoFi Stadium during yesterday’s game that pitted the Los Angeles Rams against the San Francisco 49ers. Johnson (center) is pictured flanked by unidentified football fans
State mask mandates require Californians to wear masks in all indoor public spaces and workplaces through February 15 regardless of vaccination status. Johnson (right) is pictured posing with fans in front of the field
Johnson shared snaps from the Los Angeles Rams versus the San Francisco 49ers game on Twitter, enraging law-abiding Californians
On January 9, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said she caught COVID – days after she was snapped partying maskless at a Miami drag brunch.
The Bronx Representative, 32, made the announcement on her official Twitter page, sharing a statement on House of Representatives headed paper which said: ‘Representative Ocasio-Cortez has received a positive test result for COVID-19.
‘She is experiencing symptoms and is recovering at home. The Congresswoman received her booster shot this Fall, and encourages everyone to get their booster and follow all CDC guidance.’
It is unclear when or how AOC became infected.
Despite staunchly advocating for mask and vaccine mandates, she had abandoned her own rhetoric a week before becoming infected during a trip to Miami where she was spotted maskless at numerous venues.
Her vacation was dragged on Twitter by conservatives, including a Twitter account devoted to and endorsed by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, which invited her to ‘enjoy a taste of freedom’ in the Sunshine State.
‘Welcome to Florida, AOC! We hope you’re enjoying a taste of freedom here in the Sunshine State thanks to @RonDeSantisFL’s leadership,’ the tweet, by the Team DeSantis account, read.
Ocasio-Cortez responded to photos and criticism online with a tweet saying: ‘Hasn’t Gov. DeSantis been inexplicably missing for like 2 weeks? If he’s around, I would be happy to say hello. His social media team seems to have been posting old photos for weeks. In the meantime, perhaps I could help with local organizing. Folks are quite receptive here.’
AOC has tested positive for COVID days after she was pictured partying maskless in Miami with actor Billy Porter (pictured in animal print)
AOC and Porter hugged during the outdoor event – he has yet to comment on her diagnosis, and its unclear if the Pose star has himself been exposed or infected