Who are 3 Texas Democrats who tested Covid-19 positive? Celia Israel was soon to be married
Five days after boarding private planes without face masks and taking pictures meant to mock their Republican opponents, three Texas Democrats have tested positive for Covid-19, news outlets reported on Saturday, July 17.
As many as 60 House Democrats chose to leave the state of Texas and go to Washington, DC on July 13 in order to prevent the Texas Legislature from voting on a bill meant to legalize voting restrictions and decided to carry a crate of Miller Lite along with them.
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Texas has been leading the charge on passing conservative bills ahead of the 2022 midterms. The incident is reminiscent of the time when Texas governor Ted Cruz posted a picture of himself watching a game drinking a Sam Adams beer.
The original tweet was sent out by Texas representative James Talarico. "My Democratic colleagues and I are leaving the state to break quorum and kill the Texas voter suppression bill. We’re flying to DC to demand Congress pass the For The People Act and save our democracy. Good trouble. #txlege," he had tweeted. Adding to the thread, he wrote: "We're prepared to stay out of Texas for the rest of the session. This decision wasn't easy. Many of my colleagues left kids, elderly parents, & sick loved ones. Many are risking their day jobs & their seats in the House. But we won't sit by & watch democracy wither on the vine." The picture containing the Miller Lite crate was eventually removed, but not before being retweeted by several others.
Smiling House Dems fly off to DC on a private jet with a case of Miller Lite, breaking House quorum, abandoning their constituents, while the Senate still works. It’s my hope that Senate Dems report tomorrow to do what they were elected to do. We will vote on #SB1. #txlege pic.twitter.com/5Kcc4emNFg
— Dan Patrick (@DanPatrick) July 12, 2021
Who are the 3 fugitive Texas Democrats who tested Covid positive?
Although only one name has been released so far, it is confirmed that the three Democrats who have tested Covid positive are part of a group that has been staying in a posh hotel in the nation's capital and mingling with a number of high-ranking officials since then.
They even had a closed-door meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday, the Daily Mail reported on Saturday. The trio is now in self-isolation and will remain at the place for at least 10 days, the report added.
State Rep. @CeliaIsrael, who was supposed to get married this weekend, wound up as either the second or third Texas Democrat in Washington to test positive for COVID-19. Israel's symptoms are mild and and she is quarantining, per @Statesman. #txlege https://t.co/TSPJ89E7P1
— Bud Kennedy / #ReadLocal (@BudKennedy) July 18, 2021
Celia Israel postponed her own wedding
According to Time, Rep Celia Israel, 57, a Democrat representing a district that includes Austin and nearby suburbs, is one of the three virus-positive lawmakers who have been identified by the caucus. On Thursday, July 14, Israel was supposed to marry her 26-year partner, Celinda Garza, on the House floor, to show her love for her state, according to the Austin-American Statesman. She had told the news outlet then that the couple was "making quite the sacrifice" by making the decision to fly out of Texas.
In a statement after she tested positive, Israel said: “Let this be a reminder that COVID-19 is still very much among us, with infection rates on the rise and more infectious variants spreading nationwide." “While I have fully complied with CDC guidelines and am fully vaccinated this will not 100% prevent infection," she added. "Thankfully I am doing well and hope to get over the infection with mild symptoms. I am currently quarantining until I test negative. I urge anyone not vaccinated to do so as soon as possible to help stop the spread.”
"I love this state so much. And things are really getting bad in Texas and we felt like it was important for us to put everything on a shelf, let's leave," says Texas State Rep. Celia Israel, who postponed her own wedding to travel to DC to try to block the GOP voting bill. pic.twitter.com/wMTrFfUQCq
— OutFrontCNN (@OutFrontCNN) July 14, 2021
Several Texas Democrats have officially backed the usage of face masks, but it appears that they are less enthusiastic about using them in private. According to the Austin American Statesman, the lawmakers had only worn masks "sparingly" at gatherings in Washington, DC.
On Friday, the virus was detected when one of the MPs tested positive for Covid after taking a quick test. On Saturday morning, two additional members of the group were tested, and two more were confirmed to be positive. One of them has "mild" symptoms, according to reports. The three sick officials have all been properly immunized. If the delegation returns before the end of the current special legislative session on August 7, they will likely be arrested and taken to the State Capitol, according to CBS.