Pelosi calls McCarthy ‘moron’ for mask comment

WASHINGTON (NewsNation Now) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was caught on camera calling Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy a “moron” after he said new federal mask guidance wasn’t based on science.

“To say that wearing a mask is not based on science, I think is not wise and that was my comment,” she later explained.

Republican lawmakers are slamming the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for their updated mask guidance.

They say new guidelines that vaccinated people wear masks aren’t based on science because vaccines prevent serious illness and death from COVID-19 without masks.

In its news conference call Tuesday, the CDC said vaccinated people could spread the delta variant more easily than the alpha variant. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said all people who live in counties with “substantial and high” transmission should wear masks indoors. That covers more than 60% of counties in the U.S.

Some Republicans say it’ll discourage unvaccinated Americans from getting a shot.

“I think we should get more people vaccinated and telling people who are vaccinated to wear a mask doesn’t get more people vaccinated,” House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy said Wednesday. He said the recommendations were about control, and predicted schools may be closed.

The CDC said Tuesday students should go back to school in the fall with masks.

Pelosi announced the House is reinstating its mask mandate for everyone in the chamber and House office buildings.

A handful of Republicans, including Chip Roy and Lauren Boebert among others, knowingly broke the rule Wednesday and now face hundreds of dollars in fines.