Eric Swalwell Tries to Downplay Photos Showing Him Maskless in a Florida Hotel Meeting With a ‘Congolese Queen’

U.S. House Rep Eric Swalwell (D-CA) did his best today to try to downplay photos showing him maskless in a Florida hotel meeting with a “Congolese Queen.”

Swalwell becomes the second outspoken Democratic member of Congress in the past week to visit the GOP-led state that has largely rejected COVID-19 mandates, following in the footsteps of U.S. House Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).

In a tweet where he shared the Daily Mail article containing the pictures, Swalwell declared, “They got me!”

After adding an unnecessary space, Swalwell explained, “Maskless, juggling a baby and a coffee while meeting with a Congolese queen.”

“Pulitzer please!” Swalwell exclaimed, mocking the journalists who published the article in an attempt to suggest that it wasn’t headline-worthy.

In a follow-up reply, Swalwell pointed out, “Funny they didn’t use this picture in their headline, taking a cup of coffee to my mouth.”

Swalwell then suggested that perhaps the outlet violated journalistic ethics by adding, “And thanks @DailyMail for not blurring out Hank’s face. He’s too damn cute!”

Of course, Swalwell had shared a picture and a video of his son Hank to Twitter on New Year’s Day so it’s not like he wasn’t already public.

Funny they didn’t use this picture in their headline, taking a cup of coffee to my mouth. And thanks @DailyMail for not blurring out Hank’s face. He’s too damn cute! pic.twitter.com/y617ATH2u8

— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) January 5, 2022

Alameda County, part of which Swalwell represents, currently has a mask mandate in place that requires people to wear masks in an indoor setting unless “actively eating or drinking” among other limited exemptions and certainly juggling a baby or meeting with a “Congolese Queen” doesn’t count.

There still is not a clear definition of what that means and whether or not a person should put the mask on in between sips of their drink, for example, and it is questionable that Swalwell could get away with such a display there if he were an average person.