(Photo : Photo by Erin Schaff-Pool/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 23: Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch stands during a group photo of the Justices at the Supreme Court in Washington, DC on April 23, 2021.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor was forced to listen in on the oral arguments challenging Joe Biden's COVID-19 rules from home because her colleague, Neil Gorsuch, refused to wear a face mask while in session.
According to reports, Gorsuch was the only person in court that didn't wear a face mask even though there's still an ongoing surge of Omicron cases in the United States.
To make things worse, Gorsuch didn't seem to have any regard for the safety of his peers most especially Sotomayor who has had diabetes since she was a kid.
Sonia Sotomayor at highest risk for COVID-19 due to Neil Gorsuch
Since the other justices couldn't convince Gorsuch to wear a face mask in court, Sotomayor just opted to listen to the oral arguments via a virtual call.
According to the Huffington Post, Sotomayor is the only justice that has worn a face mask consistently since the start of the pandemic and it's primarily because she's considered high-risk.
NPR also confirmed that before Sotomayor resorted to attending the court sessions virtually, she used to sit right beside Gorsuch.
The publication also described the conservative as a prickly justice who isn't necessarily adored by his peers. In 2017, he made headlines for saying that a complex case involving conflicting provisions was really very simple.
Supreme Court has COVID-19 restrictions in place
According to The Washington Post, the court has strict rules and limits when it comes to people who can attend the sessions inside the chamber. Reporters and lawyers are required to wear a face mask and they should also test negative for COVID-19.
Two lawyers that tested positive for COVID-19 were also forced to conduct their sessions remotely.
The publication said that these rules and practices are just right especially since most of the justices in the chamber are over 65 years old. So, to see Gorsuch attending the hearing without a face mask proved to be concerning for a lot of people.
Mike Davis defends Neil Gorsuch
Following the backlash, Gorsuch's former law clerk, Mike Davis tweeted in his defense. He suggested that Gorsuch and all the other justices be vaccinated.
However, Davis received his fair share of criticisms following the remarks that he made about vaccines working against COVID-19 and face masks not helping with the virus.
One person called the law clerk entitled. Others questioned Davis' use of the word "work" when referring to vaccines and face masks.
Another person tweeted an analogy by saying that people that wear raincoats when it's pouring will likely stay dry. But if they wear the same raincoat during a tsunami or hurricane, it's highly likely that they will get drenched. And in this context, raincoats will no longer seem to work.
One person also questioned Davis and Gorsuch's characters. After all, their refusal to wear a mask shows that they don't care about other people's welfare.
As of late, Gorsuch has not yet reacted to the comments. And he has not also explained why he doesn't want to wear a mask while inside the chamber. The Supreme Court has also explained why Gorsuch was allowed to attend the hearings without his face mask on.
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