A South Carolina GOP leader who called face masks an 'illusion' has died from COVID-19

After making fun of masks, the leader of a South Carolina GOP organization died from COVID-19.
Pressley Stutts cheered unvaccinated doctors, and criticised vaccine mandates.

Stutts then called the coronavirus, after landing in an ICU to receive treatment.

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After making false statements about COVID-19 and downplaying restrictions such as mask-wearing, the GOP leader in South Carolina died of COVID-19.

Pressley Stutts was chair of the Greenville Tea Party and a vocal critic of safety ordinances and guidance related to coronavirus since the outbreak. In a Facebook post last year, he claimed that face masks were an "illusion" and that Americans have a 99.999% chance of not getting the Wuhan virus.

He also supported unvaccinated nurses and doctors, and criticised vaccination mandates. He wrote that mandates and coercions "DO NOT WORK, especially when they are from a government which has repeatedly lied about the American People"

Pressley continued to deny the existence of coronavirus from his ICU hospital bed. He wrote on Facebook that COVID was not something to be fooled with after being admitted to the hospital in August.

Two weeks later, Pressley referred to the virus as "hell on Earth" in a separate post.

"When you must take every ounce to breathe, you know that you are fighting for your life!" He wrote that Facebook post. "I IMPLORE ....PLEASE PRAY GOD MOVES MIGHTILY in MY BODY. ISOLATED. DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH LONGER I CAN ENDURE WITHOUT YOUR PRAYERS. "Speak up!

Pressley's last Facebook post on August 13, just days before his death, stated that he was on a ventilator. He promised that he would "wake up from the short rest" and return to the game soon.