Congresswoman Gwen Moore on the Zoom call (Photo by Isiah Holmes)
Congresswoman Gwen Moore has been under fire recently for traveling to Washington DC after having tested positive for COVID-19. Her trip to cast her vote for the Speaker of the House came after Moore isolated following her positive test. Republicans blasted Moore for her visit.
On Jan 3, Moore announced on Twitter that she had been cleared to travel. “Thank you all for the well wishes,” Moore tweeted. “I am feeling good! My quarantine is over and I am medically cleared to travel and work on behalf of Wisconsin’s Fourth Congressional District.” Moore tested positive on Dec. 23, 2020, following an exposure the previous day.
“I would like to reassure all of my colleagues, constituents, and the people who work within the Capitol complex that I have complied with all doctor and CDC guidelines following my COVID-19 diagnosis and isolation,” Moore said in a statement on Jan. 5.
The CDC recommends staying home for 14 days after exposure to COVID-19 isolating for 10 days after a positive test. Sunday, Jan. 2, would have been the 10th day since Moore’s positive test.
“I am COVID-recovered and safe to work and vote on behalf of the people of the Fourth Congressional District of Wisconsin. While I quarantined immediately upon exposure on December 22 and tested positive the next day, I have been diligent in working with doctors to put my health and public health first.”
Still, House Republicans are making political hay out of the vote. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Washington) suggested moving to vacate the election of the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) because Moore voted despite having tested positive. A spokesperson for McMorris said the idea is an attempt to “hold the Speaker accountable for Sunday’s unjust vote and to seek justice for Americans across this country and their representatives in the house,” The Hill reported.
McMorris has pushed against COVID restrictions and policies, alongside others in the GOP. She criticized shutdowns citing the economic costs, and the effects of school closures on education. “We need leadership that encourages the hard-working men and women who keep our state and region moving,” she said in a statement in November 2020.
“I appreciate the many calls and prayers that have been so uplifting,” said Moore.
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