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Tony Tenpenny: Former Nashville council member who dismissed coronavirus as 'socialist' hoax dies from Covid-19

Tenpenny had claimed that people who wore face masks were being 'manipulated to live in irrational fear' and even called them out for allowing themselves to be 'controlled by a socialist agenda'

A former Nashville, Tennessee, council member, who had called coronavirus a 'socialist' hoax died from complications arising from Covid-19. 57-year-old Tony Tenpenny had said that the pandemic was a part of a 'socialist agenda' which had been over-exaggerated. Tenpenny lost his life over the weekend (Sept 19-Sept 20) after more than five weeks in the hospital, The Sun reports.

The Trump supporter had been extremely vocal about expressing his skepticism regarding the coronavirus on social media and had also shared a Facebook post which he had labeled as false information. On May 30, he had shared a post where he claimed that the virus had been made up as a means to make sure that Trump does not get re-elected in the November election. 

Tenpenny had also made claims that people who wore face masks were being "manipulated to live in irrational fear" and even called them out for allowing themselves to be "controlled by a socialist agenda". He had even slammed the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization saying that they were "pure lying a**es". 

Before Tenpenny died, he had posted a video that featured a disgraced doctor who had made several unfounded claims regarding the disease which included one where he said that the Covid-19 virus had been caused by demons. The Republican also spoke on the issue of lockdowns across the country and said that they had been designed to shut down "the US economy, blaming Trump and setting up a One World Govt."

Vice Mayor Jim Shulman revealed that Tenpenny had been hospitalized for around a month after he tested positive for the disease and in early September was placed on a ventilator. Shulman shared, "I am always saddened when I learn of the death of a former elected official. My thoughts and prayers are with his family as they face this loss."

Tenpenny's wife, Robbie, had also taken to social media to announce the news of his death. The post read, "It is with a very heavy heart that I let you all know, Tony passed away yesterday. Please pray for me, our son Ira and family as we process this tragic loss." 

It is reported that Tenpenny had ran for re-election last year but had been beaten by Ginny Welch. Welch issued a statement that read, "The message to me is that COVID is no joke, it knows no boundary, and no matter what you might believe, it does not care," NBC News reports. "Anyone can be felled by it. Not taking the precautions we know work to slow the spread is like playing Russian roulette," Welch added. She also shared with people that those who don't take the virus seriously "are risking your life and the lives of those around you."

Social media users commented on the news of his death calling out Tenpenny's stance on the virus. One such user shared, "I'm very sorry to hear this but 100% absolutely not surprised. People pretend this isn't real and then get killed by it, I certainly struggle to produce sympathy." Another added, "I felt sorry for the early ones when there was not as much study and information out there. But at this point they've brought it on their own stupid self. Pride + arrogance = death."