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The St. Cloud City Council voted Monday to censure one of its members over his comments comparing a mask mandate to requiring people to wear a yellow star.

The council voted 5 to 1 to censure Paul Brandmire, who made the comments during a July 20 council debate over a citywide ordinance requiring people to wear masks in indoor public places.

In prepared remarks during the debate, Brandmire described the mandate as government overreach.

“I mean, if we can mandate masks, we can certainly mandate that COVID-positive people wear some sort of identification badge, maybe like a bright yellow star or something, on their lapel,” he said.

Some council members said comparing a public safety measure to the horror of the Holocaust was outrageous and divisive. Council member Carol Lewis, who asked for the censure, said she was “stunned” by Brandmire’s comments.

“I never expected that a false equivalency of marking someone for death ... would come out in the discussion regarding face masks,” she said.

The comparison also drew criticism from Jewish Community Action of Minnesota.

Council member Mike Conway voted against the censure motion, saying that Brandmire’s comments are protected under the First Amendment.

Brandmire is also a Republican candidate for the state House of Representatives in District 14B.

Politics and Government News

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Kirsti Marohn

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The St. Cloud City Council voted Monday to censure one of its members over his comments comparing a mask mandate to requiring people to wear a yellow star.


St. Cloud City Council member censured over ‘yellow star’ comments about masks

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