Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo, a Democrat, is under fire after she was seen dining out without a mask — just days after warning residents to remain at home due to the coronavirus surge.
According to ABC 6, she was photographed at Barnaby’s Public House in Providence for a wine and paint night on Dec. 11.
Just four days earlier, she tweeted: ''It’s week two of our pause. I know it's been hard, but I want to thank every Rhode Islander who's following our guidance. Please, stay home except for essential activities & wear a mask anytime you’re with people you don’t live with. Together, we can turn our case numbers around.''
ABC 6 reported that many people pointed out that Raimondo wasn’t wearing a mask in the photograph.
''Shame on you Gina,'' Susan Goodman, from Providence, said. ''She shouldn’t even be at an event like that. You can drink wine at home. I’m an experienced wine drinker Gina, do it at home.''
But Erica Oliveras, who took the photo said: ''She only took her mask off whenever she was drinking her wine. That’s the only time she took it off.
''When she came into the building she had her mask.''
And a spokesperson for the governor maintained that Raimondo didn’t do anything wrong.
''The governor had dinner at a local restaurant with her husband and had her mask on anytime she was not eating/drinking,'' Josh Block said.
The Washington Examiner noted that the day after Raimondo was photographed, Rhode Island’s Health Director Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott tested positive for the coronavirus —prompting Raimondo to quarantine.
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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