Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett (L) meets with Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on September 29, 2020. (Photo: Stefani Reynolds / Pool/ AFP via Getty Images)
Just Three Days After Meeting With Amy Coney Barrett Without Mask, GOP Senator Mike Lee Also Tests Positive for Covid-19
The announcement by the Republican from Utah came just hours after President Donald Trump revealed he had the virus.
Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah said Friday he tested positive for coronavirus--an announcement that came just three days after he met--indoors and maskless--with Amy Coney Barrett, President Donald Trump's Supreme Court justice nominee.
Lee posted the news on Twitter, saying the positive result was from a test on Thursday. He also indicated he took a Covid-19 test "a few days ago while visiting the White House," and that that test had come back negative.
The Utah Republican met with Coney Barrett on Tuesday. A photo released by his office shows the two not following public health recommendations by standing clearly less than six feet apart from each other and not wearing face masks.
President Donald Trump also announced Friday he and First Lady Melania Trump were infected with the coronavirus, just a day after one of his top aides, Hope Hicks, tested positive.
The president's diagnosis--described by The New Republic's Alex Shephard as "the ultimate, inevitable end of his administration's disastrous response to a global pandemic"-- was not taken by Republicans as a roadblock to filling the seat held by the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
The National Journal's Zachary Cohen reported that a White House spokesperson said Coney Barrett tested negative for Covid-19 on Friday and the she had not been with the president since Saturday.
"She is following CDC guidance and best practices," the spokesperon said, "including social distancing, wearing face coverings, and frequently washes hands."
On Friday, ahead of Lee's announcement, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell indicated his party's intention to plow "full steam ahead" with advancing Coney Barrett's nomination.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah said Friday he tested positive for coronavirus--an announcement that came just three days after he met--indoors and maskless--with Amy Coney Barrett, President Donald Trump's Supreme Court justice nominee.
Lee posted the news on Twitter, saying the positive result was from a test on Thursday. He also indicated he took a Covid-19 test "a few days ago while visiting the White House," and that that test had come back negative.
The Utah Republican met with Coney Barrett on Tuesday. A photo released by his office shows the two not following public health recommendations by standing clearly less than six feet apart from each other and not wearing face masks.
President Donald Trump also announced Friday he and First Lady Melania Trump were infected with the coronavirus, just a day after one of his top aides, Hope Hicks, tested positive.
The president's diagnosis--described by The New Republic's Alex Shephard as "the ultimate, inevitable end of his administration's disastrous response to a global pandemic"-- was not taken by Republicans as a roadblock to filling the seat held by the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
The National Journal's Zachary Cohen reported that a White House spokesperson said Coney Barrett tested negative for Covid-19 on Friday and the she had not been with the president since Saturday.
"She is following CDC guidance and best practices," the spokesperon said, "including social distancing, wearing face coverings, and frequently washes hands."
On Friday, ahead of Lee's announcement, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell indicated his party's intention to plow "full steam ahead" with advancing Coney Barrett's nomination.
Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah said Friday he tested positive for coronavirus--an announcement that came just three days after he met--indoors and maskless--with Amy Coney Barrett, President Donald Trump's Supreme Court justice nominee.
Lee posted the news on Twitter, saying the positive result was from a test on Thursday. He also indicated he took a Covid-19 test "a few days ago while visiting the White House," and that that test had come back negative.
The Utah Republican met with Coney Barrett on Tuesday. A photo released by his office shows the two not following public health recommendations by standing clearly less than six feet apart from each other and not wearing face masks.
President Donald Trump also announced Friday he and First Lady Melania Trump were infected with the coronavirus, just a day after one of his top aides, Hope Hicks, tested positive.
The president's diagnosis--described by The New Republic's Alex Shephard as "the ultimate, inevitable end of his administration's disastrous response to a global pandemic"-- was not taken by Republicans as a roadblock to filling the seat held by the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
The National Journal's Zachary Cohen reported that a White House spokesperson said Coney Barrett tested negative for Covid-19 on Friday and the she had not been with the president since Saturday.
"She is following CDC guidance and best practices," the spokesperon said, "including social distancing, wearing face coverings, and frequently washes hands."
On Friday, ahead of Lee's announcement, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell indicated his party's intention to plow "full steam ahead" with advancing Coney Barrett's nomination.