Newly elected Republican Congressman Jake LaTurner, from Kansas, has tested positive for Covid-19 hours after participating in a failed attempt to challenge the House against President-elect Joe Biden’s electoral votes.
According to Forbes, LaTurner’s official Twitter account announced that he received his positive result late on Wednesday night while the certification process was still going on and did not return to the House floor after testing positive on the advice of the House physician.
LaTurner, who was one of several House Republicans who voted to object to the certification of Arizona’s slate of electors, was not experiencing any symptoms of the virus when he was diagnosed.
Several Congress members were forced to bunker down in enclosed spaces for their safety after rioters stormed the Capitol building, with limited space for social distancing.
Rep. Susan Wild (D-Pa.) described the scene, telling CBS News, “It’s what I would call a COVID super spreader event.” She detailed that many panicked lawmakers huddled in the room while refusing to wear masks, adding that some newer Republican members were “openly flaunting that they are refusing to wear a mask,” Wild said.
