Washington lawmaker: Forced vaccination is ‘antithetical to free society’

In an interview with the Jason Rantz Show, state Rep. Chris Corry (R-Yakima) criticized Gov. Inslee’s use of emergency powers in the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. This criticism is an extension of legislative attempts to prohibit the executive office from requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for entry into public spaces.

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“I will never support forced vaccination or vaccine passports,” Corry said. “I think that that is antithetical to a free society. And frankly, it’s very disturbing if we’re willing to go down this path for this and use this coronavirus as a cudgel for emergency powers.”

The governor’s office has not mandated so-called “vaccine passports.” It has issued guidelines, however, for businesses that wish to require proof of vaccination for entry.

With health officials now concerned over the recent spike in delta variant COVID-19 cases, a number of Seattle businesses have deemed such proof the appropriate response.

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Corry also referenced the state Attorney General’s recent draft policy to mandate vaccination for employment. He called on the Washington Legislature to renew its efforts to protect workplaces from obligatory vaccination.

“This is really scary territory. The legislature needs to step up and provide protections for people that are in the workplace because I can’t imagine turning somebody out of a job because they have a reason or belief as to why they are or are not getting the vaccine,” Corry said.

In his most recent announcement on July 28, Gov. Inslee declared that in Washington state, to match updated guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it’s recommended that masks be worn indoors, regardless of vaccination status. Masks will continue to be required for employees and students in K-12 schools.

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