Mask melee in Illinois House sparks profanity, protests, penalties -- and an apology
SPRINGFIELD — Tensions over COVID-19 mask mandates festered in the Illinois House on Tuesday as a northwest suburban Republican publicly apologized for confronting a Democratic colleague last week after a heated debate — a finger-pointing profane encounter that the Democrat said left her fearing for her safety.
“When I was being confronted by my colleague and what my colleague said to me, in that moment I was triggered,” state Rep. Lakesia Collins, D-Chicago, told legislators on Tuesday. “I was scared. I felt unprotected. And I was shocked that this even transpired.”
The episode last Thursday came after Collins sponsored a resolution that resulted in nine Republicans being voted off the House floor for flouting chamber rules that require face coverings.
The Near North Side Democrat initially named state Rep. Steven Reick, R-Woodstock, apparently believing he was not wearing a mask, although she corrected her mistake before the resolution came to a vote, according to Politico, which first reported the incident.
Read more: https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/2/22/22946802/illinois-house-mask-rules-apology-confrontation-collins-reick-durkin-welch-covid-coronavirus