Trump-obsessed conspiracy theorist Mike Lindell, CEO of MyPillow, is once again back in the news. This time, for telling people to go maskless at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) while taking photos with him.
Lindell was slammed online for his unsafe behavior at the conference amidst the ongoing pandemic.
MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell posing for pictures at CPAC https://t.co/lFfPgzajRa— William Turton (@William Turton) 1614534934.0
The furor began after a video of Lindell greeting a fan at the annual right-wing convention surfaced online on Sunday.
The video, captured by Bloomberg journalist William Turton, showed Lindell walking maskless through the convention. A fan, whose mask was down around his chin, approached Lindell for a selfie.
Lindell then instructed the young man to go entirely maskless.
He could be heard saying:
"Stop. Take the mask off."
Lindell then took photos with four other attendees, all unmasked.
One of former Republican President Donald Trump's strongest allies and financial supporters, Lindell has a history of trafficking in pandemic-related conspiracy theories—last summer, he claimed the toxic plant oleander could cure the virus.
And just this weekend at CPAC, Lindell had to be silenced by far-right media outlet Right Side Broadcasting Network for claiming the vaccine against the virus is the "mark of the beast."
That phrase alludes to Biblical "end times" prophecy which states just before the end of the world all people will be required to pledge allegiance to Satan—to accept "the mark of the beast"—in order to participate in society and the economy, or face being martyred for their Christian faith.
On Twitter, people were angered by Lindell's bizarre militance toward pandemic safety protocols.
The MyCovid Guy. https://t.co/yJMOZwsJlN— Tea Pain (@Tea Pain) 1614536834.0
Doing his best, in his own little way, to spread the pandemic. I wonder how well chopped-foam pillows absorb viruse… https://t.co/yoWYXaF9DK— Nameless Cynic (@Nameless Cynic) 1614606967.0
@TeaPainUSA I wonder if all these ppl are giving their vax appointment to people who actually believe there is a de… https://t.co/NUoP7tvR82— notplainJane (@notplainJane) 1614537166.0
@WilliamTurton ah! to be able to lie down on a substandard pillow while getting wrecked by rona after attending… https://t.co/n6nuHO3r30— speak up before they take away your voting rights (@speak up before they take away your voting rights) 1614535329.0
@RawStory @Can_Skeptic_Wm Why is it so many people who deserve it least are the ones who die most from Covid? MaskH… https://t.co/9KFauwaAbw— DonBrunetti (@DonBrunetti) 1614537359.0
@WilliamTurton What's more cringer, Mike, or the dopey robots asking for the selfies?— Colin Dooley (@Colin Dooley) 1614540457.0
He's already bought his vaccine so feels safe but doesn't give a crap that he is putting others in danger. https://t.co/y9rR7c46v9— Clare Cosgrove (@Clare Cosgrove) 1614543735.0
@WilliamTurton Spread that covid-19 baby, spread it far, and spread it well! Cough in a couple pillows and sell them while you're at it!— CrabDad (@CrabDad) 1614541595.0
The pillows are hypoallergenic. The CEO, on the other hand, will probably kill you. https://t.co/5Drftod2KP— DominionPillow (@DominionPillow) 1614608329.0
Lindell is currently the defendant in a $1.3 billion lawsuit by Dominion Voting Systems, whom Lindell accused of rigging the 2020 election for Democratic President Joe Biden.