Maine GOP lawmakers lose committee assignments for refusing to wear masks: 'It's a political game'

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Maine GOP lawmakers lose committee assignments for refusing to wear masks: ‘It’s a political game’

Maine GOP State Rep. Laurel Libby, who filmed the confrontation with Capitol Police, joins ‘Fox & Friends’ after her committee assignment is stripped and given to a Democrat.

A Maine state Republican lawmaker stripped of her committee assignment following a confrontation over mask rules called the reprimand a "political game" by the Democrat-led State House, Friday.

Republican Rep. Laurel Libby released video earlier in the week of the confrontation between Capitol Police and a group of unmasked Republican lawmakers inside the Maine State House after the governor relaxed statewide mask rules. Lawmakers are still required to wear masks in the building following a party-line vote by the Legislative Council.

Libby and the other members involved in the confrontation have been removed from their committee roles and will be replaced by Democrats, according to documents filed by Democrat House Speaker Ryan Fecteau.

"To replace us with Democrats makes it clear that it's a political game," Libby told "Fox & Friends." "[Fecteau]'s not going to follow the science, he’s going to follow his own rule."  

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Fecteau released a statement defending the rule, citing the presence of "nonpartisan workers in the building who are still required to wear masks in the workplace."

Libby recalled seeing "many people" not wearing masks at the statehouse between the time Democrat Gov. Janet Mills lifted the mandate and the Legislative Council instituted their own rule.

"[Gov. Mills] is still in charge of every other COVID decision except this one that they've decided to make their own rules about," Libby said. "And the speaker doubled down yesterday saying that he's not going to follow the science, he is going to follow his rule."  

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Libby concluded that the "ongoing drama" will likely have to be decided in court.

"Maine people have been waiting to get back into their state house, which has been closed for over 14 months," Libby said. "And now to be told that they don't have to wear a mask anywhere else in the state, but that to come into their people's house, they have to wear a mask? That just doesn't make any sense."