West Virginia’s Republican Governor Bashes States Lifting Restrictions: Some Want to ‘Make a Big Splash’ to ‘Get Themselves in the News’

Gov. Jim Justice (R-WV) warned of the negative effects that could accompany completely lifting Covid-19 restrictions, questioning why “a little more caution isn’t the very best medicine.”

MSNBC’s Stephanie Ruhle sat down with the governor on Friday morning, first praising the successful vaccine rollout in his state before asking if he has felt pressure from businesses or constituents to reopen West Virginia as other states begin to lift restrictions.

“Really, Stephanie, not much. You know, I mean we do hear it some, but — and believe me be, I don’t like the masks either. But, you know, I would really subscribe to just this: I would say one robin doesn’t make Spring,” he replied. “I mean, if you’ll just step back and think about that, you know when robins start to come back and everything, if we instantaneously react sometimes it could be kind of foolish because all of a sudden we may turn around and look at some really bad weather, some really Winter weather that’s still to come. So we’re going to be a little more cautious and everything, and we’re not going to just jump right into that pool right yet.”

“You know, a lot of people want to do that to make a big splash and everything. Maybe get themselves in the news and everything,” he added. “But West Virginia’s done the prudent and right thing along the way and we’re going to continue to do that.”

Justice noted that his state now allows 75 percent capacity at restaurants and bars, adding that they’ve also increased the permitted size of gatherings.

“We’re probably going to relax a little bit more, and we’re going to do that today, a little bit later today,” he continued. “But as far as just wholesale opening up, 100 percent and everything, I don’t know why just a little more caution isn’t the very best medicine, and if we don’t watch out I’m always afraid of whiplash that could come.”

Watch above, via MSNBC.