JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has a simple reason for not wearing a face mask during a visit to a southwestern Missouri thrift store. He says he simply chose not to.
Businesses reopened across most of Missouri on Monday, a day after Parson's stay-at-home order ended. The Republican governor spent the morning visiting several businesses in southwestern Missouri. Among them was a thrift shop in Joplin operated by the Disabled American Veterans.
A photo posted on Parson's Twitter account shows him bare-faced but surrounded by mask-wearing veterans.
Stopped by Red Racks DAV in Joplin before they opened this morning and met with employees and several members of the DAV board. pic.twitter.com/TKkYHHlndj
— Governor Mike Parson (@GovParsonMO) May 4, 2020
Parson said at his afternoon news conference that wearing a mask shouldn't be mandated by the government.
