After Ohio Republican Josh Mandel finished his Friday morning speech with lusty Braveheart-esque chants of "Freedom!" it was conference organizers CPAC executive director Dan Schneider's and CPAC planner Carly Conley's turn to take the mic and kill the mood.
“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,” pleaded Schneider. “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 hosts get heckled after announcing they must comply with the private venue's mask rules, calling it “a downer” and “not the most fun.” pic.twitter.com/dbuhPuzbFu
— The Recount (@therecount) February 26, 2021
Schneider and Conley were met with jeers, boos and (yes) cries of "Freedom!"“I know, it’s not the most fun,” said Conley, much as an elementary school teacher would.
As Orange County currently has a mask mandate in place, that mask requirement applies to businesses like the Hyatt Regency Orlando, and hence the Conservative Political Action Conference event taking place within.
CPAC runs through the weekend. It's going to be a wild one.
This article first appeared at Orlando Weekly.
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This article appears in Feb 25 – Mar 3, 2021.