A Republican mayor in western Kansas announced in a letter to city officials and on social media on Tuesday that she is resigning immediately over threats she received after publicly supporting a mask mandate.
Dodge City Mayor Joyce Warshaw said she was concerned about her safety after facing aggression, including threats via phone and email, after being quoted in a USA Today article Friday in support of the mandate, The reported. Dodge City Globe. The city commission voted 4-1 on November 16 to impose a mask mandate, with a few exceptions.
But Warshaw told NBC News on Tuesday that “threats, accusations and actions” against her and her family by those in the community forced her to resign.
“[It was a] very very difficult, hard decision to make because I don’t regret my actions or decisions that I made as mayor, but I think it is best to move on, ”said Warshaw. My husband especially said ‘you’re done, you’ done again. Maybe the city can just move on. “
The city commission said in a statement Tuesday that Warshaw had resigned in a letter that morning.
“ Life has overcome many challenges in our world that may have caused many people to act inappropriately, but I no longer feel safe in this position and hope I can remove myself. These anger, accusations and abuse will not fall on anyone else and will calm down, ‘she said in the letter.
Ford County, where Dodge City is located, has registered 4,914 cases of Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic, according to the state health department. The province has approximately 33,600 inhabitants.
Warshaw said she does not regret voting for the mask mandate despite the threats and still loves the city.
“[I] still love Dodge City with all my heart and believe in it, ”she said.
Some of the threatening emails have been handed over to the police. Specific details of the threats were not provided.
Drew Francis, Dodge City Police Chief, said the department is investigating communications to determine response.
