CPAC organizers roundly booed after reminding attendees about masking rules at Orlando host hotel

Conservative mega-gathering CPAC is off to a great start, with conference organizers getting roundly booed after gently reminding conference attendees to mask up.

As reported by Mediaite, after Ohio Republican Josh Mandel finished his Friday morning speech with lusty Braveheart-esque chants of “Freedom!” it was CPAC conference organizers Dan Schneider and Carly Conley’s turn to take the mic and kill the mood.

“But also to mention one thing, and I know this might sound like a little bit of a downer, but we also believe in property rights, and this is a private hotel,” pleaded Schneider. “And we believe in the rule of law. So we need to comply with the laws of this county that we’re in. A private hotel just like your house gets to set its own rules.”

Schneider and Conley were met with jeers, boos and (yes) cries of “Freedom!”

“I know, it’s not the most fun,” said Conley, much as an elementary school teacher would.

As Orange County currently has a mask mandate in place, that mask requirement applies to businesses like the Hyatt Regency Orlando, and hence the Conservative Political Action Conference event taking place within.

CPAC runs through the weekend. It’s going to be a wild one.

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This article appears in Feb 24 – Mar 2, 2021.