Runaway Dem calls for Texas mask mandate despite wearing none on super-spreader jet

A Democratic Texas state lawmaker who was one of six to test positive for coronavirus called for Texas to reinstitute a universal mask mandate Wednesday — despite being photographed barefaced on the private plane that flew the delegation to Washington, DC last week.

“We need to follow the science here,” tweeted state Rep. Donna Howard, who tested positive for the virus along with five of her fellow high-flying Democrats between Friday and Monday. “Texas needs to change course and allow for universal mask-wearing to prevent spread of the highly contagious delta variant, esp[ecially] as children under 12 cannot get vaccinated yet.”

Twitter users were quick to point out that Howard posed for pictures alongside her fellow lawmakers on the July 12 flight from Austin to the nation’s capital with nary a face covering to be seen. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently requires that travelers mask up on public planes, trains and buses, but that authority does not extend to chartered planes.