Rejecting their appeals in the subsequent court case, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed recently for prior financial penalties imposed on outspoken GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.), Ralph Norman (S.C.), and Thomas Massie (Ky.) for violating rules in the House for mask-wearing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Republicans were challenging Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) who was Speaker of the House at the time. Reports noted that lawyers for current leadership in the House — where Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) is Speaker — argued before the court against the Republicans’ stance, citing procedural grounds rather than the original mask rules themselves. Court decisions before the Supreme Court’s rejection affirmed Congress’ role to regulate itself, which House leadership’s team supported.
As highlighted in earlier coverage from USA Today, the Republicans in turn characterized their defiance of the mask demands as simply representing their districts’ interests. Allowing the financial penalties would permit retaliation for member actions “in accordance with the desires of their district rather than the desires of the Speaker of the House,” they claimed, per that report.
The original penalties were in the form of pay deductions. Greene’s reported fines reached some $100,000. She has a business background outside of Congress and has pursued ventures like writing a book, potentially helping fill the financial gap.
Observers are also awaiting a decision from the U.S. Supreme Court on the further handling of Trump’s claims of wide-ranging protections from even the possibility of criminal proceedings he is facing from Special Counsel Jack Smith for alleged election plots. The court also recently heard arguments in a challenge to Trump appearing on the ballot in Colorado over his argued involvement in the Capitol riot of early 2021, which was spurred by lies tracing to him of a stolen presidential election. Trump continues promoting these lies and refers to detainees with criminal allegations originating in that day’s violence as “hostages.”
