Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell dons mask after speaking to media in Washington
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, one of President Donald Trump’s most powerful allies in Washington, has avoided going to the White House for more than two months due to his handling of the coronavirus, has he told reporters on Thursday.
Instead, the senior Republican in Congress relies on telephone conversations to discuss important issues such as COVID-19 economic stimulus legislation and the Supreme Court’s demarches with Trump, he said at a press conference at the Kentucky, his home state.
“In fact, I haven’t been to the White House since August 6, because my impression was that their approach to how to handle this was different from mine and what I insisted we do in the Senate, namely wearing a mask and practicing social distancing, ”said the 78-year-old lawmaker.
His comments contrasted sharply with Trump, who was hospitalized for three days with the coronavirus but publicly removed his mask in front of television cameras after returning to the White House.
In her candidacy in the Nov. 3 election to retain her Senate seat, McConnell faces a long-drawn-out challenge from Democrat Amy McGrath, a former Marine Corps fighter pilot.
First Lady Melania Trump and several White House officials, including spokesperson Kayleigh McEnany, have also tested positive for the deadly disease.
Trump’s handling of his infection and the wider coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 211,000 Americans, more than in any other country, threatens Republican hopes of retaining their Senate majority.
In the Senate, lawmakers are encouraged to wear masks, practice social distancing and limit visitors to offices. The committee hearings are being conducted in part online, and calls have been made for new testing protocols.
“Since May 1, I have said to wear your mask and practice social distancing. This is the only way we know of to prevent the spread until we get a vaccine and we have done it in Senate, ”McConnell said.
“You’ve heard of other places that have had a different point of view, and they are paying the price,” he said.
Three Republican senators have tested positive for COVID-19. Two were diagnosed after attending a crowded White House event for Trump’s Supreme Court candidate Amy Coney Barrett.
(Except for the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
