Stacey Abrams fired back against critics and slammed opponents after she was criticised for sharing a maskless photo posing with children at a school.
Ms Abrams, a Democratic candidate for Georgia governor and an advocate for voting rights, described the backlash against her as a “shameful” and “false political attack”.
"It is shameful that our opponents are using a Black History Month reading event for Georgia children as the impetus for a false political attack, and it is pitiful and predictable that our opponents continue to look for opportunities to distract from their failed records when it comes to protecting public health during the pandemic,” Ms Abrams said in an Instagram post.
Ms Abrams, 48, initially tweeted a photo of herself in which was seen sitting unmasked and surrounded by mask-wearing children and faculty at Glennwood Elementary School in Atlanta on Friday.
The picture was captioned, “spending time with Glennwood’s amazing students, faculty and staff ranks as spectacular, delightful and outstanding”, was deleted after it sparked outrage and was called out for hypocrisy.
The former state minority leader made the appearance at the school’s annual African American read-in in Decatur where mask mandates are enforced.
Ms Abrams is vaccinated and has been a vocal supporter of Covid-appropriate behaviour during the pandemic. She had criticised Republican governor Brian Kemp for his ban on mask mandates in July 2020, saying it showed “incompetency” and “immorality”.
Mr Kemp took the opportunity on Saturday to blast Ms Abram over what he called Democrat’s “mask hypocrisy” for a photo op.
“Stacey Abrams wants state government mask mandates for Georgians and their children. But it looks like they wouldn’t apply when she’s attending a photo op,” Mr Kemp, who is looking for reelection against Ms Abrams, said.
Editor of the National Review Rich Lowry also hit out, saying Mr Abrams “is a member of the Democratic elite in good standing—mask hypocrisy is practically a status symbol now”.
Former Georgia senator David Perdue, who would be running against Mr Kemp, said: “Where is Stacey’s mask? We all know Stacey Abram’s hypocrisy knows no bounds.”
Ms Abram’s statement hit out at Mr Perdue without naming him for downplaying the virus.
"One of Stacey’s opponents downplayed the virus while trading stock to profit off the pandemic after his private coronavirus briefings as a Senator,” the statement said.
“Another of her opponents attacked mayors seeking to protect their citizens and has failed to expand access to Medicaid even as rural hospitals close. This pathetic, transparent and silly attack is beneath anyone who claims he wants to lead Georgia,” it added.
