Former GOP Chairman Convicted of Felony for Refusing to Wear Mask During 2024 Election Observation
Former Island County, WA Republican Party Chair Tim Hazelo has been convicted on two counts, including felony unlawful entry, after refusing to wear a mask while serving as an official election observer during the November 2024 general election.
Hazelo, a well-known supporter of President Donald Trump, was authorized to be inside the Island County elections office last fall as a Republican observer. Masking rules were instituted by Island County Auditor Sheilah Crider, requiring all observers to wear face coverings while in the ballot-counting area, years after most pandemic restrictions had been lifted across the country.
Hazelo was serving as an authorized Republican election observer when he was told to wear a mask. He quietly refused. The man who chose to prosecute him was Island County Prosecutor Greg Banks, who decided to personally handle this minor case.
Banks has a long history of showing his true feelings about conservatives. His social media posts reveal a deep-seated hatred for his political opponents.
Despite these shocking statements, Banks refused to step aside. He claimed his calls to “cleanse the planet” of people like Hazelo were just “jokes” and insisted he could be fair.
The case looks even worse when you see what the judge did. The defense was not allowed to show the jury the prosecutor’s hateful posts. The jury never knew that the man charging Hazelo had already called him a “disease.”
The judge also blocked evidence that other people in the same building, including staff, were not wearing masks and were never charged. The rule was only enforced against the Republican observer. This key fact was hidden from the jury.
Hazelo now faces up to a year in prison and could lose his job over this felony conviction. He is not the only one. Another Republican observer, Tracy Abdul, is also facing a felony for the same “crime.” This is not a mistake; it’s a pattern.
Hazelo, a well-known supporter of President Donald Trump, was authorized to be inside the Island County elections office last fall as a Republican observer. Masking rules were instituted by Island County Auditor Sheilah Crider, requiring all observers to wear face coverings while in the ballot-counting area, years after most pandemic restrictions had been lifted across the country.
Hazelo was serving as an authorized Republican election observer when he was told to wear a mask. He quietly refused. The man who chose to prosecute him was Island County Prosecutor Greg Banks, who decided to personally handle this minor case.
Banks has a long history of showing his true feelings about conservatives. His social media posts reveal a deep-seated hatred for his political opponents.
Despite these shocking statements, Banks refused to step aside. He claimed his calls to “cleanse the planet” of people like Hazelo were just “jokes” and insisted he could be fair.
The case looks even worse when you see what the judge did. The defense was not allowed to show the jury the prosecutor’s hateful posts. The jury never knew that the man charging Hazelo had already called him a “disease.”
The judge also blocked evidence that other people in the same building, including staff, were not wearing masks and were never charged. The rule was only enforced against the Republican observer. This key fact was hidden from the jury.
Hazelo now faces up to a year in prison and could lose his job over this felony conviction. He is not the only one. Another Republican observer, Tracy Abdul, is also facing a felony for the same “crime.” This is not a mistake; it’s a pattern.
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