In an interview last week with Washington State Republican Party Chairman Caleb Heimlich, Lewis County Sheriff Rob Snaza revived his “don’t be a sheep” statement and said he supports Spiffy’s, the Napavine restaurant that continues to offer indoor dining in violation of statewide orders meant to curb the out-of-control spread of COVID-19.
Snaza’s message came just days before Spiffy’s Tuesday court date, when protesters are expected to convene outside the courthouse as the restaurant faces potential criminal charges in addition to the already staggering fines imposed by the Department of Labor and Industries (L&I).
“I’ve been going to Spiffy’s for over 30 years as a law enforcement officer, and during that time, they’ve been open to the community … Knowing Rod’s story was huge in making the decision that I support Spiffy’s. And I know we have laws out there, we have all these things going on, but at the same time, what is right and what is wrong? We need to stand up for our constitutional rights,” Snaza said in the video.
Later in the interview, he said: “When I say don’t be a sheep, I mean don’t be a sheep.”
Snaza has been critical of Gov. Jay Inslee and the pandemic-related restrictions imposed under his administration, and has made it clear that enforcement will not be prioritized in the county, where COVID-19 cases continue to skyrocket. But the public endorsement of Spiffy’s — which drew statewide attention after armed and far-right supporters occupied the parking lot for days — is an escalation of his recent comments.
Earlier this month, Snaza argued that the state should enforce COVID-19 restrictions, claiming the county doesn’t have the time or resources.
The video comes in the middle of a devastating third wave of the pandemic, which has taxed local hospitals and prompted other county leaders to ask residents to take the pandemic seriously and follow health guidelines. Two days before Snaza’s comments, county commissioners, who have previously criticized restrictions and attended large unmasked rallies, offered a different sentiment.
“We value our freedom, obviously, more than anything else. But at the same time, at this time of crisis, pandemic, we need to be really smart about things and make sure we cover,” Commissioner Gary Stamper said. “When you’re one of the county leaders, I have a huge responsibility to make sure that I’m doing the right thing.”
Commissioner Edna Fund offered a similar message of caution, saying that out of her eight close friends recently diagnosed with the virus, one is “fighting for his life.” Previously, the prosecutor’s office warned commissioners that Spiffy’s and other local entities rebelling against state law could undermine long-term reopening efforts.
Snaza’s comments, however, are not out of line with his previous statements, including an instance over the summer where he used a bullhorn to urge a maskless crowd “don’t be a sheep” shortly after Inslee announced his statewide mask order. He later attempted to walk back the comment. When Spiffy’s was first cited by L&I in early December, and the state employees were confronted by unhappy customers, Snaza also declined tp offer L&I assistance in returning to what had become a hostile — and armed — situation. The refusal broke precedent, according to the governor’s office, though Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer later disputed that.
A similarly armed presence is expected on Tuesday, as Joey Gibson, founder of far-right Patriot Prayer, has been publicizing a rally at the steps of the courthouse.
Although Snaza framed the issue as one of constitutional rights, Lewis County Superior Court, in issuing Spiffy’s a temporary restraining order and setting a court date, noted that L&I “has a clear legal right to enforce the requirements of the Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act and the rules promulgated thereunder.”
As Snaza voiced support for those flouting state law, Dave McMullen was behind the camera. The Pierce County Republican Party Chair has posted other informal interviews of Republican officials to his Facebook this year, and uses his account to spread anti-mask sentiment, critiquing “mask Nazis” and incorrectly claiming “masks don’t work.” On Monday, Snaza said he had never met Heimlich or McMullen before they came to interview him. In the video, Snaza said he supports those who choose to wear masks, but argued it should be a two-way street. In county meetings where masks are required, Snaza has refused to wear one.
“If you feel that you need to wear a mask, I encourage you to wear the mask,” he said. “Wear it for your safety if that makes you feel right. But also respect the rights of everybody else. Let them make their choice.”
Similar to McMullen, Snaza also cast doubt on the science and data behind statewide restrictions, telling the camera, “the data does not make sense … check the facts out for yourself and make your own decisions.”
Last week, Public Health Director J.P. Anderson also urged residents to look at the state’s data dashboard for themselves, but for a different reason: to get a sense of how poorly the county is doing. As of Monday morning, Lewis County — and the region it’s lumped into for some data points — is doing worse than the state average in every single metric reported by the state, including new cases per 100,000, percent of COVID-19 tests coming back positive and percent of hospital beds occupied by COVID-19 patients.
