On Tuesday, the United States Supreme Court declined to hear a case where three Republican lawmakers, who violated COVID-era mask mandates, were seeking the right to sue congressional officials and the House Speaker for docking their pay. The lawmakers in question include Republican Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, and Ralph Norman of South Carolina.
These representatives had claimed that the fines imposed on them, each amounting to $500, were in violation of the 27th Amendment. This amendment stipulates that the salaries of Congress members cannot be reduced by law until there is an intervening election.
The litigation was previously heard at a federal district court in Washington, which determined that the challenged actions were inherently legislative in nature and fell directly within the scope of protected Speech. This ruling is consistent with the long-established precedent that lawmakers’ conduct within the chambers of Congress is subject to the rules of the institution and protects the integrity of legislative discourse.
For more information, please read the detailed report on Bloomberg Law.