Mike Pence Arizona trip was delayed because Secret Service agents got coronavirus
Vice President Mike Pence's trip this week to Arizona was held off for a day after Secret Service agents who were organizing the VP's junket either tested positive for coronavirus, or displayed obvious symptoms of infection. What a mess this government is.
NEWWWWS >>Secret Service agents sick with COVID forced VP Pence to delay his trip this week to Arizona. Agency had to find healthy agents and officers to replace sick ones.
Second time they have tested positive while helping plan WH tripsMe and @jdawsey1 https://t.co/x2gQTLfCKY
- Carol Leonnig (@CarolLeonnig) July 3, 2020
From Carol Leonnig and Josh Dawsey's scoop late Thursday at the Washington Post:
The Secret Service needed time to bring in healthy agents and other personnel to replace the ones who were either sick or most likely sick, one of the officials said. The official said the Secret Service estimated that a total of eight to 10 agents and other officers from sister agencies - all of whom were helping prepare for Pence's visit to Arizona - had fallen ill.
This is the second time in recent weeks that Secret Service agents preparing for a White House or Trump campaign event outside of Washington have contracted the virus. At least three Secret Service personnel working on the advance team for President Trump's Tulsa rally on June 20 tested positive for covid-19. Two agents tested positive hours before the indoor stadium event was held and dozens of agents who were on site for the rally were ordered to self-quarantine when they arrived home.
Read more:
Secret Service agents preparing for Pence Arizona trip contracted coronavirus
I queried @SecretService for a comment on this story and here's the response from Director of Communications Catherine Milhoan. pic.twitter.com/KguHnfKSDz
- Steve Herman (@W7VOA) July 3, 2020
Pence flack huffily responds that every day Americans" don't need to know about this => https://t.co/WAhnfIyAHV
- Craig Whitlock (@CraigMWhitlock) July 3, 2020