Cornyn shares photo of Democratic senators from 2018, asks why they’re not wearing masks

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) on Wednesday shared a 2018 photo of a group of Democratic senators and questioned why they were not wearing masks.

Cornyn retweeted a picture of Democratic Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (R.I.), Richard Blumenthal (Conn.) and Cory Booker (N.J.) huddled together during the September 2018 Senate Judiciary Committee hearings over the nomination of now-Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

“What’s missing in this photo?” wrote Mary Ann Mendoza, a vocal Trump supporter.

Cornyn simply responded with: “Masks?”

Masks? https://t.co/28BIX2oIuR

— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) October 14, 2020

The Republican senator, who also sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, is currently conducting day three of a four-day confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett.

Many social media users quickly pointed out the photograph was taken before the coronavirus pandemic, with some accusing Cornyn of spreading disinformation.

⚠️Mask misinformation—TX Senator John Cornyn tweets a misleading photo about Dems not wearing masks. It was a photo from 2018. This is the kinda of disgusting mask fake info that is ruining pandemic response. C’mon @JohnCornyn—you follow my account, so show some decency. #COVID19 https://t.co/E0OM3P4XNr

— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) October 14, 2020

Wasn’t John Cornyn in the room?? https://t.co/rNh9PM6gnE

— ☕ (@joemfox) October 14, 2020

Sen. Cornyn is spreading disinformation. This photo is old.

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 14, 2020

John Cornyn is a damn disgrace! This is a photo from 2018. Donate to @mjhegar and let’s be done with him https://t.co/OFo79mss4R

— Amy Siskind (@Amy_Siskind) October 14, 2020

Among those who criticized Cornyn was Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), another member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, who wrote that he was looking forward to his colleague “calling out President Trump for not wearing a mask next time.”

Hi John, this picture was taken well before the pandemic.

Also, I look forward to you calling out President Trump for not wearing a mask next time. https://t.co/aMDG5v4gAw

— Sen. Patrick Leahy (@SenatorLeahy) October 14, 2020

Cornyn later responded to another Twitter user who noted the photo was from 2018, writing “Thanks for clarifying.”

Thanks for clarifying https://t.co/DzUkfQsPIO

— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) October 14, 2020

Cornyn has not deleted his previous tweet. The Hill has reached out to his office for comment.

Mendoza was slated to speak about Trump’s crackdown on the border and support of law enforcement during the Republican National Convention in August but was pulled from the lineup after posting an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory.