CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb was photographed at a crowded event at a Washington, D.C. bar without a mask, just hours before he strongly encouraged Clevelanders to wear masks indoors.
Bibb, and six other prominent Ohio mayors, were listed as invitees to the Happy Hour Honoring Ohio Mayors gathering from 5 to 7 p.m. at P.J. Clarke’s. Northeast Ohio native and current U.S. Secretary for Housing & Urban Development Marcia Fudge also appears in one of the photos with a mask, along with Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who is wearing a mask. Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan was listed as an invitee of the cocktail hour, but it’s unclear whether he attended.
The event was sponsored by the Cleveland law firm Roetzel & Andress and was closed to the public and press, according to the listing of the event. Roetzel clients, other mayors and political officials also were in attendance. Those who attended had to provide proof of vaccination and show their ID, according to a listing of the event on Roetzel’s website.
Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser ordered that starting Jan. 15, no one over 12 can enter a restaurant, bar or nightclub without providing proof of vaccination. She also reinstated a mask requirement until Jan. 30 for those not actively eating or drinking at a restaurant or tavern.
The picture shows Bibb standing in the background between two men engaged in a conversation. A mask isn’t visible on his face, his chin or under his chin. It also doesn’t reveal whether he is drinking or eating, which are two exceptions to wearing a mask outlined in the capital city’s current orders drink.
Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer asked Bibb’s spokeswoman, Sarah Johnson, who was not in attendance, why Bibb wasn’t wearing a mask just hours before he encouraged Cleveland residents to wear them.
“The picture is taken a bit out of context because it was a small reception where you had to show proof of vaccination, and you had to get tested prior to attending,” she said. “As far as the mask advisory (in Cleveland), it’s not a mandate. It’s a recommendation.”
Bibb issued the mask advisory for all indoor spaces on Friday, which will remain in place until Jan. 31, Johnson said. The city will assess at that time if the advisory needs to be extended, she added.
Cleveland’s advisory is not mandatory, but it is a “strong recommendation to all residents to wear a mask” and carves out no exceptions for people who are vaccinated or boosted.
Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish joined Bibb in his announcement, releasing a statement that said, “We’ve seen how this virus can mutate and shift as it’s done for almost the past two years. I applaud Mayor Bibb for his dedication to keeping residents safe and businesses open and encourage everyone to continue practicing preventative measures—masking up, social distancing, and getting vaccinated.”
Ohio health officials expressed measured optimism about Northeast Ohio’s declining coronavirus numbers, which exploded due to the highly contagious omicron variant. Despite the downturn, the number of daily cases and hospitalizations remain high.
As of Friday afternoon, 259,565 total coronavirus cases have been reported in Cuyahoga County. There have been 3,087 deaths.
As of Thursday, 127,200 total COVID-19 cases were reported in Washington, D.C. There have been 1,257 deaths, according to the data.