Several Republican lawmakers are canceling their memberships to the Capitol Hill Club in protest of the premier Republican establishment enforcing the District of Columbia’s mandate that business patrons show proof of COVID-19 vaccination before entry.
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul is the latest and highest-ranking Republican to announce his boycott.
Quitting Capitol Hill Club: I will not be a member of any club that acquiesces to a requirement to reveal your medical records.
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 21, 2022
“Quitting Capitol Hill Club: I will not be a member of any club that acquiesces to a requirement to reveal your medical records,” Paul tweeted Friday.
Mayor Muriel Bowser’s vaccine mandate went into effect on Jan. 15, at which time the club started complying with the order. Establishments that do not comply face escalating fines after raking up warnings, with $1,000 for the first fine, $2,000 for the second, and so on.
Virginia Rep. Bob Good began the club membership cancellation trend when he reportedly spoke in support of boycotting the Capitol Hill Club for enforcing the mandate during a House Republican conference meeting last week, the Hill reported.
“While I don’t leak to the press what my colleagues say in these closed-door Republican meetings, I’m not afraid to say publicly that we should stand up and say ‘no’ to Mayor Bowser’s vaccine passports, refuse to comply, and also remind her that Congress ultimately must approve the DC budget,” Good said in a statement.
Over the following week, Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, Texas Rep. Chip Roy, and Montana Rep. Matt Rosendale announced they would cancel their memberships to the club.
“Republican organizations in the Nation’s Capital have the duty to be pillars of the values we fight for,” Gaetz said in a statement.
Resigned membership from Capitol Hill Club today because I refuse to show a “vax card.” #PledgeNoVaxCard
— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) January 19, 2022
The push does not have the support of Republican leadership. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise said he would not boycott the club.
“I don’t penalize the company for having that dumped on him,” Scalise said in a press conference on Wednesday. “I want to see us challenge these — these mandates. The mandates shouldn’t be forced on people.”
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The Capitol Hill Club, located near House office buildings and adjacent to Republican National Committee headquarters, was founded in 1951 by congressional Republicans. It remains a top location for events and social gatherings for GOP members of Congress and those hoping to influence them.
At least one Washington restaurant is openly defying the vaccine mandate: the Big Board, a burger joint and bar located about a mile from the Capitol. It has already received a warning for doing so.
