Kansas mayor resigns following threats over mask mandate

A western Kansas mayor submitted a letter of resignation Tuesday after receiving threats to her wellbeing for her public support of a face mask mandate.

Why it matters: Public officials have received increasing backlash and threats for actions taken to curb the spread of COVID-19.

"Life has dealt out many challenges in our world that have perhaps caused many people to act inappropriately. But I do not feel safe in this position anymore and am hopeful in removing myself this anger, accusations and abuse will not fall on anyone else and will calm down."

Driving the news: Dodge City Mayor Joyce Warshaw faced aggression via phone and email after a USA Today article last Friday quoted her support for a mask mandate.

• The vote to impose a mask mandate carried on Nov. 16, and Warshaw told the Dodge City Daily Globe she had no regrets voting in favor of the mandate.
• Dodge City's surrounding county — which has about 33,600 residents — has seen 4,914 coronavirus cases since the pandemic began, per AP.

The big picture: Officials to receive threats over mask mandates include the mayor of Wichita, Kansas, who received a violent kidnap warning, and a Green Bay City Council in Connecticut who received multiple threats of physical harm.

• Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) and Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) were both allegedly targeted in two separate kidnap plots over their responses to the pandemic.