House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., on Sunday condemned attempts to impose COVID-19 mask mandates for school workers and children, calling it an unprecedented overreach into American households.
In an interview on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” McCarthy called a government seeking “greater control over out lives.”
“Who would’ve ever thought we would have an American president making a decision to leave Americans behind in Afghanistan and now directing the [Department of Justice] to try to silence parents and actually separate parents from what their children can do inside of schools,” he charged.
The DOJ is launching an effort to combat a spike in harassment and violent threats against school board members and teachers, but Republican leaders are denouncing the move as an attempt to silence parents amid debates over mask mandates and social justice issues.
“While spirited debate about policy matters is protected under our Constitution, that protection does not extend to threats of violence or efforts to intimidate individuals based on their views,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in an Oct. 4 memo.
He directed the FBI and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to meet with federal, state and local leaders to address the issue
But McCarthy sees a different problem.
“When it comes down to is a philosophy, who is best to raise your children, you or government… I believe the parents are,” McCarthy said.
“Now we have an administration that wants to control every part of your life from what you do in your banking, if you have more than $600, to know to what you can even pay the school board,” he said, referring in part to a plan giving the IRS more power to track bank accounts with more than $600, continuing: “and tell you the government has a better say over what your children can do in school.”
