CPAC guests lose it when they're told they have to wear masks

This year's upcoming Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) featured prominent displays of Republicans' longstanding opposition against coronavirus restrictions. In fact, Ohio Republican Josh Mandel even delivered a fiery speech to an audience of conservatives on Friday, Feb. 26 that concluded with him chanting, "Freedom."

But almost immediately after Mandel's speech, CPAC organizers made an incongruent appeal to the crowd. While praising personal freedom, they noted that conservatives are also supposed to respect the rule of law and property rights. And the owner of the venue and local ordinances require that the attendees be masked.

It wasn't surprising when the crowd was not pleased with the request and wasted no time heckling and trolling CPAC organizers.

"Does the Bill of Rights matter?" the CPAC executive director asked as he initially received a positive response from the crowd. "We conservatives believe in the rule of law, because we know that when the laws enforced, our rights are protected."

Slowly approaching the controversial topic, the CPAC director discussed the rule of law and personal freedoms. As he noted that they are allowed to do as they please within the confines of their own home, he also made it clear that the private hotel they were in also reserves the same right. In an effort to abide by the rule of law, he asked conference-goers to respect the hotel's policy by wearing masks.

He continued, "But also to mention one thing, and I know this might sound like a little bit of a downer, but we also believe in property rights, and this is a private hotel," he continued. "And we believe in the rule of law. So we need to comply with the laws of this county that we're in. A private hotel just like your house gets to set its own rules."

CPAC planner Carly Conley also echoed similar sentiments.

"We are in a private facility and we do want to be respectful of the ordinances that they have as their private property," CPAC planner Carly Conley added. "So please everyone, when you're in a ballroom when you're seated, you should still be wearing a mask. So if everybody can go ahead, work on that."

Their requests were quickly met with opposition as the crowd fired back. In response to the backlash, Conley said, "I now I know it's, it's not the most fun." As she spoke, people could be heard chanting, "freedom," again.

"You have the right to set their own rules in your own house, and were borrowing somebody else's house," Schneider said. "So we need to comply with their rules. So thank you all for putting on your masks. I wear a mask when I'm in the halls, and we're going to comply with their rules."