In the wake of a maskless indoor Christmas party hosted by the Whitestone Republican Club in Queens, New York, earlier this month, at least one person has been hospitalized with the coronavirus, the Queens Daily Eagle reports.
The party generated widespread derision after video emerged showing attendees dancing in a conga line despite a surge in COVID-19 cases.
James Trent, chair of the affiliated Queens Village Republican Club, said from his hospital room that he was recently admitted to North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, where he is now recovering from the virus.
According to Trent, he first started experiencing symptoms two days after the party. He added that he was surprised that he got the virus after attending the party because he "wasn't doing anything risky."
the Whitestone Republican Club in NYC apparently held a Christmas party this year without a care in the world about… https://t.co/wV5WlfSSb8— Matt Binder (@Matt Binder) 1608568918.0
"I wasn't on the conga line. I ate by myself," he said. "I don't know how I got this."
When asked if he regretted attending the party, he replied that it was an "interesting question."
"It was a wonderful time and a great party, but I'm not happy I got sick," he said.
Trent expects to be released from the hospital this Thursday.
Club spokesperson Robert Hornak told the Eagle last week that the club and the restaurant followed the rules as they existed at the time.
"We held an intimate gathering observing all the COVID guidelines in place at the time," Hornak said. "Every attendee was told to wear a mask, and everyone had one when entering, or was given one."
Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) said "both sides" were to blame after former President Donald Trump glorified Jan. 6 defendants at a rally in Waco, Texas over the weekend.
In an interview on CBS News, host Margaret Brennan pointed to Trump's Saturday rally in Waco.
"When he walked on stage, he played a recording made by some of those who are being prosecuted for attacking the Capitol on January 6th," Brennan said. "He also had footage seeming to glorify the attack that day. He's calling for protests. He said things like death and destruction if he's indicted."
"I know you've supported him in the past," she added. "Do you support statements like this?"
"Look, January 6th was a terrible day. We have to make sure that never happens again," Gonzales replied. "But it was great to have President Trump back in Texas. And it was a reminder that Trump's policies, President Trump's policies worked. Right now, we're in a time where Biden is failing us. And so, I welcome any serious presidential candidate to come to Texas, see it firsthand."
"But what the former president was talking about was not policy or substance," Brennan countered. "Don't you see some danger from lionizing those who are being prosecuted for breaking the law and attacking the place where you and other lawmakers work? Isn't that part of it something that must give you pause?"
"The rhetoric is absolutely out of control," Gonzales insisted. "On both sides, on all sides."
"But I'd also see, you know, I see President Trump honestly being attacked, being demonized on all these different fronts," he continued. You know, things that are happening to him in regards to the classified documentation, similar things happen to President Biden. You don't see those things."
Brennan pressed Gonzales on his support for Trump.
"This is a line that you feel you can't cross when it comes to criticizing what the former president did with lionizing January 6th attackers?" she said.
"I'm always going to fight for what I believe is right," Gonzales asserted. "And what I see right now is people are fed up with the environment that is happening. They're fed up with the rhetoric. They're tired of inflation. They're tired of the border crisis. They're tired of the national security policy. And they want real action."
"And whoever delivers that for them is going to get their vote, whether that's President Trump or anyone else," he concluded.
Watch the video below from CBS.
Joseph Tacopina, an attorney for Donald Trump, lashed out at NBC host Chuck Todd who suggested that the former president was not telling the truth about having an affair with porn star Stormy Daniels.
"What this investigation may end up being is about — is essentially the falsifying of business records," Todd told Tacopina in a Sunday interview. "This is not an unusual crime to charge someone in the Manhattan District Attorney's office. We have over sixty instances of this."
"You couldn't be more wrong when you make that statement," Tacopina disagreed. "This, first of all, would be a case of first... never in the history of this country has this been done before, and never in the Manhattan District Attorney's office has someone been charged with a crime for falsifying business records to pay hush money as they call it or confidential settlement."
"What should he put in his ledger?" the attorney said of Trump.
RELATED: GOPer forced to scramble after being reminded Jim Jordan ignored his Jan. 6 subpoena
"How about the truth?" Todd suggested. "You keep saying, 'What should be in the ledger?' Shouldn't it be the truth?"
"Chuck, you're being a little petty when you look at this now," Tacopina charged. "Because there is no filing obligation."
Watch the video below from NBC or at the link:
Appearing on CNN's "State of the Union' to make his case that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg needs to appear before Republicans and explain why he is investigating Donald Trump, House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY) painted himself into a corner when he suggested Bragg might be subpoenaed.
With Bragg's office firingback at GOP House members who have been threatening to interfere in his investigation into the former president paying hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election, Comer went back and forth with CNN's Jake Tapper over the propriety of federal interference in a state matter.
Things came to a head when the CNN host asked if the House Republican would subpoena Bragg.
"Let me ask you if he refuses to come in willingly, will you subpoena him?" Tapper pressed.
ALSO IN THE NEWS: Trump's Waco crowd began to head for the exits 30 minutes into the rally: report
"Well, that'll be up to [House Judiciary Chair] Jim Jordan. I mean, he's the lead investigator in this particular situation. I come in as Oversight because it deals with the unnecessary use of tax dollars. Chairman [Bryan] Steil is head of House Administration. He's in charge of elections. That's why the three of us were the three that signed the letter. But Jim Jordan is the lead and he would be the one to answer that question."
"Jordan who refused to comply with the congressional subpoena in the previous Congress?" host Tapper asked with a smirk.
After a pause, Comer replied with a straightface, "Jim Jordan, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee," as Tapper continued to smile.
Watch below or at the link:
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