Georgia Democratic governor candidate Abrams criticized for not wearing COVID mask among students
Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams is facing criticism for posing for photos with school children while not wearing a COVID-19 mask.
In now-deleted Twitter posts, Abrams is seen seated on the floor without a mask while several children on each side are each wearing one.
Abrams, a Georgia gubernatorial candidate and nationally known Democrat politician, like other fellow, high-profile party members is being accused of being hypocritical about the mask mandates that many elected Democrats across the country have required people to wear during the pandemic.
Abrams has championed more stringent masking policies in schools, according to CNN.
The photos were originally tweeted Friday by the school's principal, Holly Brookins.
"Extraordinary way to kick off the 3rd Annual African-American Read-In at Glennwood and Black History Month. Thrilled to host @staceyabrams author of Stacey's Extraordinary Words!,” he also wrote in tweet, the news outlet reports.
Abrams also tweeted the photos and thanked the principal for hosting her. Brookins and Abram’s tweets have since been deleted, and the principal’s Twitter account appears to have been deactivated.
The Abrams campaign also told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution the candidate wore a mask to the school but later removed it so she could be heard by students watching remotely and for the photos on the condition that everyone around her was wearing masks.
On Sunday, the Abrams campaign responded to the backlash, in part by taking aim at the candidate's political opponents.
"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," the campaign said.
Incumbent GOP Gov. Brian Kemp tweeted on his 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."