'Pink hat lady' explains mesh mask
A Mercer County woman charged in connection with the Jan. 6 rioting at the U.S. Capitol said her mesh mask was inspired by a pop singer and wasn't meant to mock a court order.
A federal judge asked Rachel Marie Powell, of Sandy Lake, Mercer County, to explain why she was seen in a March 31 social media video wearing a mesh mask with her nose and mouth visible. Powell is known nationally as the “pink hat lady” after federal investigators released wanted posters for Powell wearing a distinct pink hat following the Capitol riot.
Chief U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell said the video defied an order that she wear a mask as part of her pretrial release from jail after being charged with participating in the riot.
Faced with going back to jail, Powell on Monday apologized to the judge in court filings and explained that her mask fashion was sparked by Lana Del Rey, a pop singer, and Powell's work policy forbids mask use when dealing with customers.Powell was arrested by the FBI on Feb. 4 for her alleged connection to the Capitol riot. She was placed in Butler County Prison and released on house arrest Feb. 11.She faces charges of obstruction, depredation of government property, entering a restricted building or grounds with a dangerous weapon, entering a restricted building or grounds and violent entry or disorderly conduct.The U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services office filed a noncompliance report April 15 against Powell, saying the office received evasive answers from her when it called to inquire about the video.Powell also told the office that she threw away the mask on the advice of her attorney, according to the report.On Monday, Powell responded through her attorney, Michael Engle.“While clearly unwise, the creation and use of the mask at issue was not designed to mock the court or its release condition,” Engle wrote in the report.Engle writes that when he became aware of the offense, he told Powell to cooperate with the government and never wear the mask again. He refutes the claim that he told Powell to dispose of the mask as a way to hinder the government from accessing it.Engle explains that Powell is employed, and on the day she wore the mesh mask, Powell “found herself in a work situation where she was encouraged to refrain from mask wearing at times when she was required to engage with store customers.”Powell's employer was not identified in the filing.Engle writes that Powell “refused to do this and instead sought to find a mechanism for complying with the court's order while also satisfying her employer.”Powell recalled stories about Lana Del Rey fashioning a mask with a clear plastic barrier under a see-through fabric. Engle also submitted a photo that reportedly shows the singer wearing a mask similar to the one Powell wore.In November, Del Ray addressed her mask choice on social media: “The mask had plastic on the inside. They're commonly sewn in by stylists these days.”Powell's lawyer wrote about the decision.“Ms. Powell made a poor choice in wearing the mask at issue; however, it was not done with a bad intent,” explaining that Powell wears a conventional mask during all her court-approved outings.In the future, Engle writes, Powell will attempt to reduce the hours at her job where she is dealing with the public.
