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Incoming White House senior adviser Cedric Richmond tests positive for COVID-19

Rep. Cedric Richmond during a House Judiciary Committee meeting in December 2019. Photo: Pool/Getty Images

Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-La.), the incoming White House senior adviser for President-elect Joe Biden, has tested positive for COVID-19 and will self-quarantine for 14 days, the Biden-Harris transition team announced in a statement on Thursday.

What they're saying: "Richmond was not in close contact, as defined by the CDC, with the President-elect. President-elect Biden underwent PCR testing for COVID-19 today and COVID-19 was not detected," per a statement from transition spokesperson Kate Bedingfield. Biden tested negative for the coronavirus on Thursday.

The big picture: The transition team said that Richmond traveled to Georgia for a campaign event with Senate candidates Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, but did not come in close contact with the candidates or their staff members.

  • Richmond’s interactions with Biden happened in open air while both men were masked and lasted less than 15 consecutive minutes.
  • Richmond developed symptoms on Wednesday and subsequently took a rapid test, which came back positive. On Thursday, he took a PCR test that also came back positive.

The transition team performed contact tracing protocols after Richmond's diagnosis and determined he was recently in close contact with two people unrelated to the Biden, Ossoff and Warnock teams.

  • After quarantining, Richmond will have to produce two negative PCR tests before he can work in-person in Congress and on the transition team.

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Hans Nichols, author of Sneak Peek
Jan 20, 2021 - Politics & Policy

Scoop: Joe Biden's COVID-19 bubble

Photo illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

The incoming administration is planning extraordinary steps to protect its most prized commodity, Joe Biden, including requiring daily employee COVID tests and N95 masks at all times, according to new guidance sent to some incoming employees Tuesday.

Why it matters: The president-elect is 78 years old and therefore a high risk for the virus and its worst effects, despite having received the vaccine. While President Trump's team was nonchalant about COVID protocols — leading to several super-spreader episodes — the new rules will apply to all White House aides in "high proximity to principals."

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Shawna Chen
44 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Kaine, Collins' censure resolution seeks to bar Trump from holding office again

Sen. Tim Kaine (center) and Sen. Susan Collins (right). Photo: Andrew Harnik/Pool via Getty Images

Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) are forging ahead with a draft proposal to censure former President Trump, and are considering introducing the resolution on the Senate floor next week.

Why it matters: Senators are looking for a way to condemn Trump on the record as it becomes increasingly unlikely Democrats will obtain the 17 Republican votes needed to gain a conviction, Axios Alayna Treene writes. "I think it’s important for the Senate's leadership to understand that there are alternatives," Kaine told CNN on Wednesday.

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Stark reminder for America's corporate leaders

Rosalind "Roz" Brewer is about to become only the second Black woman to permanently lead a Fortune 500 company. She starts as Walgreens CEO on March 15.

Why it matters: It's a stark reminder of how far corporate America's top decision-makers have to go during an unprecedented push by politicians, employees and even a stock exchange to diversify their top ranks.

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