RNC warned by local health officials about lack of masks at convention

Republican National Committee (RNC) officials on Monday were warned by Mecklenburg County, N.C., health officials about a failure by some convention attendees to wear masks or practice social distancing following the roll call vote.

Gibbie Harris, public health director for the county, confirmed to The Hill that she had contacted RNC officials about her “concern about the lack of mask wearing and social distancing in the room at the RNC Roll Call meeting.”

“I have been assured that they are working hard to address these issues,” she continued, adding in a statement to ABC affiliate WSOC that she hoped that the failure of some attendees to follow mask requirements would not lead to a spike in COVID-19 cases in Mecklenburg County.

Through a spokesperson, Gibbie Harris tells me she hopes the RNC’s inability to follow the rules does not result in additional COVID cases in our and their communities. She says the inability to follow the plan will make it more difficult to approve similar requests in the future

— Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) August 24, 2020

RNC officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Hill.

Party officials are in Charlotte, N.C., this week for a hybrid GOP convention that will feature some delegates meeting in person while other major convention figures such as President Trump and other speakers will appear remotely.

RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel insisted Sunday on CBS’s “Face the Nation” that committee officials were doing everything necessary to prevent the spread of coronavirus among attendees.

“We tested everybody before they came to Charlotte, we tested everybody onsite,” McDaniel said.

“We are doing things that allow people to live their lives, have a convention and do it in a healthy and safe way, which most Americans are doing,” she added.