ATLANTA — Newly-elected US Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R - 14th Dist., Ga.), has attacked rules the House of Representatives has established regarding mask use and protection against COVID-19.
Greene, known for her support of the controversial conspiracy theories of the group called "QAnon," insisted, in a tweet on Friday afternoon that in Georgia, "we work out, shop, go to restaurants, go to work, and school without masks."
Her tweet complained that masks are "oppressive."
"Our first session of New Member Orientation covered COVID in Congress," Greene tweeted. "Masks, masks, masks... I proudly told my freshman class that masks are oppressive."
The Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with leading epidemiologists have said that facial mask use is one of the best ways to protect against the coronavirus.
Greene won the race for the 14th Congressional District in northwest Georgia after her Democratic opponent, Kevin Van Ausdal, dropped out of the race in September. The district had long been considered to be a solidly Republican district, according to political analysts.
Greene's complaint about mask use comes as reported COVID-19 cases continue to increase, not only in Georgia, but across the nation. On Thursday, the United States crossed the threshold of 150,000 new cases of the coronavirus, setting a new record, as hospitals are at or near capacity.
The United States leads the world in total COVID-19 cases (10.55 million) and in deaths (242,423), according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
The Georgia freshman congressional representative concluded her tweet by saying, "My body, my choice. #FreeYourFace"