Republicans are reaping the consequences of their own actions as several prominent party members have tested positive for the coronavirus. White house advisor Kellyanne Conway, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien, RNC chair Ronna McDaniel, and senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Mike Lee (R-UT), and Ron Johnson (R-WI) join those who previously tested positive, advisor Hope Hicks, President Donald Trump, and First Lady Melania Trump.
The outbreak within Trump’s inner circle is hardly to surprising, considering the White House has refused to acknowledge the reality of COVID-19. Members of Trump’s administration have refused to wear masks or practice social distancing, all while downplaying the threat of the virus. As recently as Tuesday, Trump mocked Joe Biden during the televised debates for wearing a mask saying, “I don’t wear masks like him. Every time you see him, he’s got a mask. He could be speaking 200 feet away from them and he shows up with the biggest mask I’ve ever seen.” Trump’s family, who attended the debates, also refused to wear masks despite them being required at the Cleveland clinic.
I just received word that I am positive for COVID-19. I want to thank all of my friends and colleagues who have reached out to ask how I was feeling in the last day or two. I will be receiving medical attention today and will keep the necessary folks apprised of my condition.
— Governor Christie (@GovChristie) October 3, 2020
Many are tracing the outbreak to two separate events: Trump’s debate prep, which had him in close quarters with Conway, Stepien, Christie, and former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani. The other super-spreader event was Trump’s rose garden nomination of Amy Coney Barrett for the Supreme Court, which saw dozens of republicans sitting closely together, with none of them wearing masks. At least seven of the attendees have tested positive, including University of Notre Dame president Rev. John I. Jenkins. Judge Amy Coney Barrett has said that she was diagnosed with COVID-19 in August, and successfully recovered.
Video from the event shows multiple attendees, including Sen. Lee, hugging, shaking hands, and fist bumping one another. Attendees were given a rapid COVID-19 test upon arrival, but the test was only designed for people with symptoms, making it ineffective for most attendees. In addition to the republicans listed, 3 unnamed White House reporters and 11 debate staffers have tested positive.
Video of the ACB announcement event on Saturday at the WH featuring Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, who has now tested positive for Covid-19. pic.twitter.com/aCqP2JCH73 via @bubbaprog
— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) October 2, 2020
Conway’s diagnosis was revealed on TikTok via her estranged daughter Claudia Conway:
Claudia Conway just posted on TikTok that Kellyanne Conway has COVID. pic.twitter.com/Rhpj2BSNry
— Meena Harris (@meenaharris) October 3, 2020
I know Claudia Conway is going to need a lifetime of therapy but damn her TikTok game is on point pic.twitter.com/nC84whfs17
— shauna (@goldengateblond) October 3, 2020
It’s a predictable outcome from an administration that has repeatedly ignored, downplayed, and lied about the dangers of the coronavirus. It’s that very dereliction of duty that has lead to over 208K American deaths and nearly 7.4 million cases, the economic collapse, and the shutting down of our country. There is something deeply poetic and almost biblical about the spread of COVID-19, considering it happened during a ceremony to nominate a judge who wants to destroy the Affordable Care Act and kick millions of Americans off of health insurance.
Will this super-spreader event lead to any sort of reality check for republicans? It remains to be seen, but I’m doubtful.
That this all can be plausibly traced to an event in defiance of a woman’s dying wish is definitely the beginning of a horror plot.
— Schooley (@Rschooley) October 3, 2020
Amy Coney Barret's nomination celebration will go down in history as the gender reveal party that burned down the Republican party.
— Frank Lesser (@sadmonsters) October 3, 2020
a wealthy ruler who throws a big party in his huge mansion during an epidemic for his asymptomatic friends while the peasants die and then the virus shows up and tears through his fancy guests is beat for beat the plot of Edgar Allan Poe’s “Masque of the Red Death” https://t.co/0xQ8NDRUXr
— Anthony Oliveira (@meakoopa) October 3, 2020
(via CNN, featured image: Alex Wong/Getty Images)
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