LOCAL

Despite public outcry, mask mandate fizzles ahead of Trump N.H. rally

Howard Atlschiller
Supporters cheer as President Donald Trump speaks at Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Friday, July 3, 2020, near Keystone, S.D.

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. — Portsmouth city councilors have received more than 150 emails from constituents concerned the rally for President Donald Trump on Saturday poses a threat to public health due to the potential spread of the coronavirus.

Writers cited images of the June 20 rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the July 4 celebration at Mt. Rushmore as proof the overwhelming majority of the president’s supporters have not worn facemasks, as strongly recommended by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the state of New Hampshire.

The Trump campaign, in its rally invitation, urges rallygoers to wear masks and says it will provide masks and hand sanitizer to those who come without them. It further acknowledges the coronavirus risk by asking all rallygoers to sign a waiver, absolving the campaign from liability should one become sick.

Those assurances did not calm the fears of those who wrote the council.

One resident wrote: “First, I am a Republican. However, given the Covid crisis I am strongly opposed to the rally at Pease. It is obvious from Trump’s recent rallies that his followers WILL NOT wear masks or exercise social distancing.”

Among various suggestions, the writers urged the council to cancel the rally, or, short of that, mandate the wearing of masks and other public health measures.

Some residents, aware the city does not have authority over Portsmouth International Airport, where the rally will be held, or the surrounding Pease International Tradeport, suggested the council urge the Pease Development Authority, which runs the tradeport for the state, to mandate the wearing of masks and other health measures at the rally. Others suggested that at a minimum the city impose a mask order for the areas outside of Pease that it does control to reduce the risk of COVID-19 by those who visit the city before or after the rally.

Mayor Rick Becksted rejected calls by several city councilors to hold an emergency meeting ahead of the Trump rally to implement a mandatory mask policy.

“I’ve received many calls and emails from residents and other councilors about mask-wearing at the presidential campaign rally on Saturday at Pease,” Becksted said in a written statement. “And I’ve been asked about holding a special meeting to mandate masks. I do not want to politicize this important health issue. We will take the suggestions up at the next cfouncil meeting on the 13th.”

“While Portsmouth has no jurisdiction over the Federal property at Pease, we have requested and received permission from the Pease Development Authority to put message boards about mask wearing at the entrances to Pease,” Becksted further wrote. “I join Gov. Sununu in saying that “it’s imperative that folks attending the rally wear masks.”

The Pease Development Authority also rejected calls to mandate the wearing of masks at the rally. In response to a request for a mask mandate from Assistant Mayor Jim Splaine, PDA Executive Dsirector Paul Brean responded in part: “As a state entity, and consistent with the position of Gov. Sununu, the PDA encourages all those planning to attend to follow federal and state guidance on social distancing and the use of face masks. The Trump/Pence campaign has stated they will have face masks on hand for all attendees and will strongly urge participants to wear a mask.”

The governor also took a pass on mandating masks at the rally. Sununu said he plans to wear a mask when he greets Trump Saturday, but is unlikely to attend the rally.

“I’m going to meet the president as the governor, I will not be in the crowd of thousands of people,” he said.

Sununu stated explicitly that he was not attending out of concern for his health and the health of his family.

The City Council cannot pass a mandatory mask ordinance before Saturday and the PDA has refused to do so.

The only other possible option would be for the city’s health department to declare a state of emergency. But according to Deputy City Manager Nancy Colbert Puff, that’s not going to happen before Saturday either.

Colbert Puff said the city’s health department is closely monitoring COVID-19 in the city, region and state and at this time the very low numbers simply wouldn’t support an emergency declaration.

What the city will do, Colbert Puff said, is have large signs at the tradeport imploring rallygoers to wear a mask.

At its regularly scheduled meeting July 13 the council is expected to rigorously debate implementing a mask ordinance that would go into effect sometime in the future.

Councilor Cliff Lazenby will also ask the council to send a letter to Sununu formally asking him to “issue an immediate statewide mandate regarding the use of protective face coverings. This mandate should clarify public health safety requirements where social distancing is difficult including for businesses, public use and outdoor gatherings of a significant size.”

These measures, however, are not likely to placate residents like the writer of this letter looking for a mask mandate for the Trump rally Saturday. “I urge you to not be limited by concepts such as jurisdiction or Home Rule... SOUND THE ALARM! Protest! Leverage by leadership, the voice of the vast majority of citizens whom support wearing masks “inside,” where social distancing is not possible...and especially in large crowds.”

President Donald Trump stands at Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Friday, July 3, 2020, near Keystone, S.D.