GOP Lawmakers Appeal Mask Mandate Fines to Supreme Court

Reps. Massie, Greene, and Norman argue pay deductions violated the Constitution’s 27th Amendment.

Three Republican lawmakers, Reps. Thomas Massie, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Ralph Norman, have taken their legal fight against fines imposed for violating a mask mandate to the Supreme Court.
The lawmakers argue that the fines, which were deducted from their pay, violated the Constitution’s 27th Amendment, which prohibits salary adjustments for members of Congress until after the next election.
The lawsuit was initially filed against then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi and two House officers, but was dismissed by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.
The court ruled that the defendants were protected by the Constitution’s Speech and Debate Clause, which provides legal protection for lawmakers carrying out their legislative duties.
The lawmakers' legal team contends that the ruling places no limits on legal immunity, potentially allowing for severe forms of punishment without judicial remedy.