Stacey Abrams in 2018.Photo: Jessica McGowan/Getty
Abrams, avoting rights activist and political organizerwho is running again Gov. Brian Kemp, retweeted the image from a campaign account.
“Stacey Abrams wants state government mask mandates for Georgians and their children. But it looks like they wouldn’t apply when she’s attending a photo op,” Kempsaid on Twitter, referring to the photo that was later removed.
Kemp wasn’t the only Republican to take issue with the photo.Meghan McCaintweeted the image andwrote, “UNMASK OUR KIDS!!!!!”
Pandemic restrictions and guidelines — particularly the guidance around wearing face masks — have become increasingly politicized.
David Perdue, a former U.S. senator from Georgia who is now challenging Gov. Kemp in the state’s Republican primary, also weighed in.
“We all know Stacey Abrams' hypocrisy knows no bounds. Liberals' thirst for power during this pandemic has caused enormous damage to our kids, while the elite like Stacey continue living their lives,“Perdue wrote on Twitter. “What is even worse is that this is a classroom in Brian Kemp’s GA, not NY or CA.”
The Abrams campaign hit back against her rivals, criticizing them for waging a “false political attack.”
A campaign spokespersontoldTheAtlanta Journal-Constitutionthat Abrams wore a mask during the event but removed it while reading so children participating remotely could hear her and while taking pictures with the kids.
“It is shameful that our opponents are using a Black History Month reading event for Georgia children as the impetus for a false political attack, and it is pitiful and predictable that our opponents continue to look for opportunities to distract from their failed records when it comes to protecting public health during a pandemic,” Abrams said in astatement on her Instagram account. “This pathetic, transparent and silly attack is beneath anyone who claims he wants to lead Georgia.”
Her campaign manager, Lauren Groh-Wargo, shared thestatement on Twitter, calling the attacks on Abrams “baseless,” “dishonest” and “wannabe tough guy fodder” done to “distract from their failures.”
source: people.com
