Rep. Thomas Massie got fined $500 for refusing to wear a mask in the U.S. House of Representatives' chamber this week.
Massie spokesman John Kennedy provided a copy of a letter Thursday from the House sergeant-at-arms notifying the Kentucky Republican about the fine and his option to appeal it to the House Ethics Committee.
More:House Democrats propose $500 fine for members of Congress who don't wear masks
The sergeant-at-arms' letter said Massie was warned Tuesday he was violating a House rule requiring masks be worn. "You were then again observed not wearing a mask on May 19, and were asked by a member of my staff to wear a mask while in the Hall of the House of Representatives unless recognized to speak by the chair," the letter said.
Hence the fine.
Massie publicized his decision earlier this week to join several other GOP representatives, including controversial Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, in ignoring the House's mask rule.
"We’ve had enough. We are refusing to wear our masks on the floor during this vote in spite of (House Speaker Nancy) Pelosi’s threat to take $500 from each of us," Massie tweeted Tuesday.
"Her rule is not based on science. All you need to know is the mask rule has only ever applied to members when they can be seen on TV!" he added.
Then, on Wednesday, he posted a photo of a letter in a trash can.
He said it was from Pelosi, "warning me to follow her mask rule."
He followed that up with another tweet Thursday showing a picture of a new letter in the trash, saying: "@SpeakerPelosi sent me another letter. Something about violating her tyrannical and unscientific mask rule. I filed this one in the same location."
House Democrats approved a rule earlier this year allowing representatives to be fined $500 for a first offense and $2,500 for the next offense if they refuse to wear a mask on the House floor.
Massie, like many congressional Republicans, has repeatedly criticized coronavirus-era mask requirements.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently issued new guidance saying people who've been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus can safely drop the mask when they're indoors in most situations.
More:Gov. Andy Beshear: Kentucky to resume 100% capacity, end mask mandate in June
Since then, some Republicans in Congress have intensified their criticism of the House's continued mask requirement.
Some of the House's GOP members have not gotten the coronavirus vaccine. That includes Massie, who said he previously caught the virus.
"The CDC confirmed to me personally that the Pfizer and Moderna trials showed no benefit from the vaccine for those previously infected, so I will not be taking the vaccine," he said in a statement Thursday.
The CDC's website says people who've had COVID-19 and recovered from it still should get vaccinated against the coronavirus.
CNN has reported it surveyed members of Congress and found a 100% coronavirus vaccination rate among Democrats in the House and Senate.
Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Maryland Democrat, told USA TODAY this week that House members could collectively ditch their masks in the chamber if the holdouts get vaccinated.
"I think they'd be sending a much stronger message if they got vaccinated," Raskin said. "If all of us were vaccinated, we can all take our masks off."
USA TODAY contributed to this report. Reach reporter Morgan Watkins: 502-582-4502; [email protected]; Twitter: @morganwatkins26.
