Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-L.A.) arrives for the weekly Senate Republican policy luncheon in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill June 9, 2020 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Aug 20, 2020
Sen. Bill Cassidy plans to self-quarantine for 14 days after the Louisiana Republican tested positive for Covid-19.
"I am strictly following the direction of our medical experts and strongly encourage others to do the same," the senator said in a statement Thursday.
News of Cassidy's positive test sparked ire from critics as, just a day before, Cassidy posted a video to Twitter arguing for in-person voting amid the pandemic.
"If you can go to the grocery store safely and practice social distancing, then you can safely go to the voting booth," the senator tweeted.
\u201cThe day before he tested positive for covid, this Republican Senator was busy lying while driving about the risks of covid and Democrats trying to \u201cfederalize elections.\u201d\u201d— Lawrence O'Donnell (@Lawrence O'Donnell) 1597953487
Amid mounting controversy over Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's moves to decommission postal sorting machines and blue USPS mail boxes around the country, lawmakers remain embroiled in a partisan fight about the future of the Postal Service and about mail-in voting for the Novemember election amid the Covid-19 crisis.
Cassidy, 62, is experiencing "mild symptoms that began this morning," from Covid-19, the illness caused by the virus, his spokesperson Cole Avery told the New York Times Thursday.
A physician from Baton Rouge, Cassidy regularly wears a mask in public. He the second United States senator to test positive for the virus. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) tested positive in March, and several members of the U.S. House have also reported having Covid-19.
The Louisiana Department of Health reported 140,821 cases of the virus and 4,496 deaths as of Thursday.
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Sen. Bill Cassidy plans to self-quarantine for 14 days after the Louisiana Republican tested positive for Covid-19.
"I am strictly following the direction of our medical experts and strongly encourage others to do the same," the senator said in a statement Thursday.
News of Cassidy's positive test sparked ire from critics as, just a day before, Cassidy posted a video to Twitter arguing for in-person voting amid the pandemic.
"If you can go to the grocery store safely and practice social distancing, then you can safely go to the voting booth," the senator tweeted.
\u201cThe day before he tested positive for covid, this Republican Senator was busy lying while driving about the risks of covid and Democrats trying to \u201cfederalize elections.\u201d\u201d— Lawrence O'Donnell (@Lawrence O'Donnell) 1597953487
Amid mounting controversy over Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's moves to decommission postal sorting machines and blue USPS mail boxes around the country, lawmakers remain embroiled in a partisan fight about the future of the Postal Service and about mail-in voting for the Novemember election amid the Covid-19 crisis.
Cassidy, 62, is experiencing "mild symptoms that began this morning," from Covid-19, the illness caused by the virus, his spokesperson Cole Avery told the New York Times Thursday.
A physician from Baton Rouge, Cassidy regularly wears a mask in public. He the second United States senator to test positive for the virus. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) tested positive in March, and several members of the U.S. House have also reported having Covid-19.
The Louisiana Department of Health reported 140,821 cases of the virus and 4,496 deaths as of Thursday.
Sen. Bill Cassidy plans to self-quarantine for 14 days after the Louisiana Republican tested positive for Covid-19.
"I am strictly following the direction of our medical experts and strongly encourage others to do the same," the senator said in a statement Thursday.
News of Cassidy's positive test sparked ire from critics as, just a day before, Cassidy posted a video to Twitter arguing for in-person voting amid the pandemic.
"If you can go to the grocery store safely and practice social distancing, then you can safely go to the voting booth," the senator tweeted.
\u201cThe day before he tested positive for covid, this Republican Senator was busy lying while driving about the risks of covid and Democrats trying to \u201cfederalize elections.\u201d\u201d— Lawrence O'Donnell (@Lawrence O'Donnell) 1597953487
Amid mounting controversy over Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's moves to decommission postal sorting machines and blue USPS mail boxes around the country, lawmakers remain embroiled in a partisan fight about the future of the Postal Service and about mail-in voting for the Novemember election amid the Covid-19 crisis.
Cassidy, 62, is experiencing "mild symptoms that began this morning," from Covid-19, the illness caused by the virus, his spokesperson Cole Avery told the New York Times Thursday.
A physician from Baton Rouge, Cassidy regularly wears a mask in public. He the second United States senator to test positive for the virus. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) tested positive in March, and several members of the U.S. House have also reported having Covid-19.
The Louisiana Department of Health reported 140,821 cases of the virus and 4,496 deaths as of Thursday.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.