Report: Ted Cruz Is Done With the Mask

Ted Cruz is reportedly done with mask wearing, and CNN has jumped all over it. The network reports the Republican senator from Texas is going maskless on the floor of the Senate, which has no mask requirement, and in the halls of the Capitol complex. It questioned him about this, and Cruz replied that he'd been vaccinated along with "everybody working in the Senate," though CNN contends "many" people working in the Capitol haven’t been vaccinated, including that reporter. The two shared different takes on the CDC's guidance, with Cruz saying that "people who were vaccinated don't need to wear masks" in small groups and CNN asserting that the CDC advises all vaccinated people "keep taking precautions—like wearing a mask, staying 6 feet apart from others, and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces—in public places" in case of asymptomatic infections.

"Almost all other senators" are following that advice with the exception of Rand Paul, who claims to have antibodies after testing positive for coronavirus last year, per CNN. Cruz, who previously took flak for taking off a mask during a flight, also made headlines last month when he refused a request to put on a mask while speaking to reporters. "When I'm talking to the TV camera I'm not going to wear a mask," Cruz said March 24, per HuffPost. "You're welcome to step away if you like." He added "CDC guidance is what we're following." Cruz took to Fox News to defend himself. "At some point, it is a little silly," he said, questioning why reporters were comfortable in briefings with White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, who "hasn't worn a mask a single day." (More Ted Cruz stories.)