Alaska Lawmaker Who Refused to Mask Up Tests Positive

State senator Lora Reinbold says she's taking ivermectin
By Josh Gardner,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 12, 2021 8:30 AM CDT
Updated Oct 15, 2021 1:00 AM CDT
Anti-Mask Lawmaker Banned From Airline Can't Get to Work
Alaska state Sen. Lora Reinbold sits in a Senate gallery in Juneau   (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, Pool, File)

Update: An Alaska lawmaker's COVID drama just took another turn. Republican State Sen. Lora Reinbold, who bucked mask rules and was banned from Alaska Airlines, has tested positive for the virus, reports the Anchorage Daily News. The 57-year-old says she's recuperating at home with the help of remedies including the controversial ivermectin as well as vitamins, per People. “Game on! Who do you think is going to win?” Reinbold wrote on Facebook of her infection. “When I defeat it, I will tell you my recipe." Our original story from Sept. 12 follows:

An Alaska state senator who made headlines for refusing to wear a mask and getting banned from flying Alaska Airlines now finds herself in a pickle: she can't make it to work. Per the Anchorage Daily News, Lora Reinbold, a Republican from Eagle River, has asked to be excused from votes at the capitol because getting to Juneau has become impossible for her in the wake of the ban. As we reported following her ban in April, Reinbold at one point drove through part of Canada and took a ferry to reach the state's capital. Per the Washington Post, Alaska Airlines is the only carrier offering flights between Anchorage, a suburb of which Reinbold represents, and Juneau. Delta's service between the cities reportedly ended Sept. 11.

"If the only airline, that has flights during session to Juneau, can unconstitutionally impede a legislators ability to get to the Capital in a safe and timely fashion, it could undermine our representative republic," Reinbold argued on Facebook on Sept. 9. Reinbold was recorded in April at the Juneau International Airport speaking with Alaska Airlines staff about mask policies. A video posted on social media by the Alaska Landmine political blog appears to show airline staff telling Reinbold her mask must cover her nose and mouth. A week later, she was banned, per the AP. “We have notified Senator Lora Reinbold that she is not permitted to fly with us for her continued refusal to comply with employee instruction regarding the current mask policy,” said spokesman Tim Thompson. (More face masks stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X