RPV Statement on Dictatorial Mask Mandate
Richmond, VA – Republican Party of Virginia Chairman, Jack Wilson, issued the following statement in response to Governor Ralph Northam’s dictatorial mask mandate:

“Governor Northam’s latest edict infringes on the freedoms and liberties of the citizens of Virginia. This nation was founded as a direct rebuttal of tyrannical, authoritarian rule from those who thought themselves suited to govern a land to which they had no real connection. Ralph Northam appears to have forgotten that.

“Maybe our tune would be different if Governor Northam had not been caught just this weekend in a crowded public area with no mask and no regard for social distancing. While this administration’s COVID-19 response has been defined by its unforced errors, this is the first time it has turned them back on suffering Virginians. Will those without masks be able to tell Big Brother that they ‘forgot it in the car’? How are we supposed to take this man seriously?

“Even the roll-out of this mandate was bungled and has raised more questions than it has answered. First, Northam told us it was more of a recommendation than an order. Then we find out that failing to comply is a class one misdemeanor.

“In a time of crisis, Ralph Northam has failed. He has failed our seniors in long term assisted living facilities. He has failed thousands of small business owners. He has failed Virginia’s minority communities. He has failed our students. He has failed every single Virginian. This Commonwealth used to be a leader in this nation and a shining example of what a state should be. Governor Northam has turned it into a third-rate mess.”