Oct 2, 2020 - Politics & Policy

GOP Sen. Mike Lee tests positive for coronavirus

Josh Hawley, Mike Lee and Lindsey Graham on Sept. 10. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) plans to self-quarantine for ten days after he tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday, he announced Friday.

Why it matters: Lee, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, was at the White House last Saturday to watch President Trump introduce federal appeals court Judge Amy Coney Barrett as his Supreme Court nominee. He also met with Barrett at the Capitol on Sept. 29.

What he's saying: "Yesterday morning, I was experiencing symptoms consistent with longtime allergies," Lee tweeted. "Out of an abundance of caution, I sought medical advice was tested for COVID-19."

  • "Unlike the test I took just a few days ago while visiting the White House, yesterday's test came back positive."

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Mark Meadows: "We are not going to control the pandemic"

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows defended Vice President Pence's decision to continue traveling and campaigning despite his exposure to staff who have tested positive for COVID-19, saying Sunday that Pence is exempt from CDC guidelines because he is "essential personnel."

Why it matters: CDC guidelines call for people who have been exposed to the virus to quarantine for 14 days. Meadows said on CNN's "State of the Union" that Pence will wear a mask when he travels and argued that "he's not just campaigning," pointing to the Israel-Sudan normalization agreement announced by the White House last week.

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Updated 33 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Politics: Ex-FDA chief: Pence campaigning after COVID exposure puts others at risk — Mark Meadows: "We are not going to control the pandemic"— COVID-19 looms over White House Halloween celebrations.
  2. Health: 13 states set single-day coronavirus case records last week — Fauci says maybe we should mandate masks if people don't wear them — U.S. reports over 80,000 new cases for second consecutive day.
  3. World: Italy tightens restrictions — Spain declares new state of emergency.
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Jonathan Swan, Mike Allen
Updated 12 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Pence to continue traveling despite aides testing positive for COVID-19

Marc Short with Pence in March. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Marc Short, Vice President Mike Pence’s chief of staff, tested positive for the coronavirus Saturday and is quarantining, according to a White House statement.

Why it matters: Short is Pence's closest aide, and was one of the most powerful forces on the White House coronavirus task force. Pence and second lady Karen Pence tested negative for the virus on Sunday morning, according to the vice president's office.

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