Senate Democrats demand information on White House ‘super-spreader’ event

Senate Democrats wrote to White House chief of staff Mark Meadows Tuesday, accusing the Trump administration of “secretive” behavior following a Rose Garden ceremony that appears to have infected several people and President Trump with the coronavirus.

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“As this outbreak continues to grow, it is critical that the public and those who may have been exposed have access to accurate and transparent information. Secret Service officials, active-duty military personnel, White House and congressional staff, journalists, and others who visit or work in the White House complex — including those potentially exposed at the reception for Judge Barrett or in any other setting — need the facts about this outbreak to keep themselves and their families safe,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Patty Murray wrote to Meadows.

Schumer, a New York Democrat, and Murray, a Democrat from Washington state, called Trump’s Sept. 26 Rose Garden ceremony announcing the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court a “COVID-19 super-spreader event.”

Trump and Republican Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Thom Tillis of North Carolina were among several people to become infected with the coronavirus following the event. Tillis wore a mask, but most others at the ceremony did not wear face coverings.

Trump was hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for several days beginning on Friday, but he returned to the White House Monday and appears to be recovering.

Schumer and Murray want Meadows to provide information about contact tracing and “any public health measures” implemented since the event. They also seek a “timeline” of when infections were reported.

Several other members of the White House staff announced coronavirus infections in recent days, including White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany.

“The opaque and secretive handling of information related to these events constitutes an obvious threat to public health and is unacceptable in a free nation whose elected leaders must be transparent with and accountable to the American people,” Schumer and Murray wrote to Meadows.

Tags: News, Congress, Coronavirus, Chuck Schumer, White House, Mark Meadows, Amy Coney Barrett, Healthcare, President Trump

Original Author: Susan Ferrechio

Original Location: Senate Democrats demand information on White House ‘super-spreader’ event