Congress Holding Large, Lavish Dinners For New Members Even As Pelosi Says Covid Pandemic Is At ‘Red Alert’

Topline

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and House minority leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) are both facing wide-ranging criticism Friday for deciding to go forward with large, indoor dinners for new members even as the coronavirus pandemic reaches startling new heights, with Pelosi saying the pandemic ic currently “an emergency of the highest magnitude.”

Key Facts

Chief Critics

The opulent dinner plans were met with essentially universal backlash on social media, especially since Americans are repeatedly being warned about the dangers of gathering to eat with their own families during the holidays, while some parts of the country have ordered restaurants to again close their indoor dining rooms.

Crucial Quote

“This is a red alert, all hands on deck,” Pelosi said Friday during her weekly press briefing. “As Leader Schumer and I discussed yesterday, this is an emergency of the highest magnitude.”

Key Background

The U.S. is shattering its record for case increases on almost a daily basis. Health officials reported a new record with more than 160,000 new cases on Thursday. Before November, the country had never added 100,000 cases or more in a day, according to The COVID Tracking Project. Hospitalizations have also spiked to new records for each of the past three days, while deaths are now again averaging over 1,000 per day, data from The COVID Tracking Project shows.

What To Watch For

President-elect Joe Biden released a statement Friday saying that the pandemic is “accelerating right now.” Dr. Michael Osterholm, one of Biden’s top advisors on Covid, said he’d consider a 4-6 week national lockdown to get the pandemic under control, saying Wednesday “We are entering this period that I call Covid hell.” Biden has not publicly endorsed that plan.

Tangent

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) issued a statement Friday saying that “we should have modeled better behavior” after he and his family attended a birthday party for one of his political advisors at the ritzy restaurant The French Laundry in Yountville, California, in apparent violation of state health guidelines.

Further Reading

Chicago Mayor Issues Stay-At-Home Advisory, Asks Residents To Cancel Thanksgiving Plans (Forbes)

The Third Surge Of Shutdowns Is Happening. Here’s Where Businesses Are Closing Doors—Yet Again (Forbes)

U.S. Shatters Global Record For Most Covid Cases And Hospitalizations (Again) (Forbes)

Winter Travel Alert: Biden Covid Advisor Floats Nationwide Shutdown For 4 To 6 Weeks (Forbes)

Newsom attended French Laundry party with more households than California advises during pandemic (San Francisco Chronicle)

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