Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) warned of the “Straw Police” in California after a visit to a restaurant on Saturday.
In a tweet, Nunes appeared to tie bans on single-use plastic straws to “socialism” in his state.
“At restaurant tonight waitress asks if we want straws,” the lawmaker tweeted. “Says she has to ask now in fear of ‘THE STRAW POLICE.’ Welcome to Socialism in California!”
A new law took effect this year barring restaurants in California from giving patrons plastic straws unless one is requested.
{mosads}The state is just one location among a number of other cities and businesses globally to cut back on the use of plastic in an effort to reduce ocean waste.
Nunes’s comment was mocked on social media, with many pushing back on his claim of “socialism,” and others questioning whether the incident happened.