GOP sheriff refuses to enforce Ohio gov's order: 'I am not the mask police'

Lee Moran
Updated

A Republican sheriff in Ohio said he won’t enforce GOP Gov. Mike DeWine’s order that requires people to wear face masks in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones admitted in an interview with CNN’s Brianna Keilar on Wednesday that he wears a mask himself and is “good with that.”

But the President Donald Trump-supporting sheriff insisted: “I’m not going to be the mask police. Period.”

DeWine issued the mandatory mask order for seven counties designated at high risk from the outbreak, including Butler County, on Tuesday:

Jones told Keiler that he and many others were “confused” about the science regarding wearing masks, claiming “every week they change how you can catch” COVID-19.

“I wear a mask, but we shouldn’t have our government demand that we wear a mask, that we can’t work, that the economy’s shut down,” Jones continued. “When this is all over and the studies come out, there will be more people who have died from not being able to go to a hospital, without being able to get their medication. This is my opinion.”

Keilar pointed out how public health experts believe wearing masks is a relatively inexpensive and easy way to mitigate the risk of contagion.

Jones did admit, however, that he may change his mind on enforcing the order if Trump issued a federal mandate.

Check out the full interview here:

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