A former staffer in the office of House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) has tested positive for Coronavirus, he’s revealed. According to his explanation, the staffer left the Schiff office ten days prior to the diagnosis reveal, and they’re believed to have contracted the illness after their departure. Still, he says, his district events and meetings will continue to be postponed, and Schiff’s staffers will continue to work from home, all of which he says was set up before the diagnosis of the former Schiff staffer.
I was informed that a former staffer who left our office 10 days ago has tested positive for COVID-19.
Although doctors believe the staffer contracted the virus after leaving my office, I'm taking additional distancing precautions, including postponing meetings and teleworking: pic.twitter.com/EfwsDo1BZG
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) March 15, 2020
In his statement, he noted that he’ll provide further updates as appropriate. He also used the spotlight opportunity to subtly but surely chastise those who — like President Donald Trump — have stuck at least as often to their own “hunches” about the situation as they’ve engaged with competent public health professionalism. As Schiff put it:
‘Throughout this public health crisis, I feel that the job of elected officials is to push out the best information possible, listen to the advice of public health professionals and scientists, and be cautious.’
And that is not what Trump has been doing. During one recent interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News, he even claimed that he had a “hunch” that the reported Coronavirus fatality rate from the World Health Organization was false. There was no evidence — he’s just spitting out what comes to mind, while lives hang in the balance.
This weekend, Schiff also admonished his colleagues to continue to seek to protect vulnerable Americans who don’t have access to health care or job support, even as the Coronavirus crisis rages.
As he put it:
‘I’m also distinctly aware that, as a member of Congress, I have access to affordable and quality healthcare, and that if I were sick and needed to take time off work, I would not lose a paycheck. Many Americans don’t have the same assurances, and fear the economic pains of Coronavirus, not just the potential deleterious health effects. It’s incumbent on Congress to continue to act in their interests.’
WATCH: Coronavirus relief response is "a crisis on Capitol Hill" as emergency legislation stalls in the Senate. #MTP@kasie: "The eye is not on the ball, right now, in the Senate." pic.twitter.com/BoIvXp7QlO
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) March 15, 2020
House Democrats helped pass a Coronavirus relief funding package, but Senate Republicans went on a long weekend break and aren’t considering it until late Monday.
Every minute, hour, & day that Fed action is delayed on Coronavirus puts lives at risk.
The House has been hammering away at a coronavirus relief package. We just called in every member to vote on & pass a deal at almost 1am.#WheresMitch McConnell?
Taking the weekend off.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 14, 2020
Check out Twitter’s response to Schiff’s reveal…
