Nevada Gov. In ‘Utter Disbelief’ Of Trump’s ‘Callous Disregard’ After Two Rallies Defying Covid Rules

Topline

Gov. Steve Sisolak, D-Nev., on Wednesday wrote a scathing letter to the White House, criticizing President Trump’s “contradictory and dismissive behavior” in hosting two campaign rallies in the state this weekend which packed together thousands of attendees with little-to-no social distancing measures in clear violation of state and federal directives. 

Key Facts

Big Number 

6,000. The number of people who attended Trump’s Henderson rally on Sunday, Trump claimed to the Review-Journal. Nevada reported 357 new cases that same day. 

Surprising Fact 

The city of Henderson has fined the owner of the venue—Xtreme Manufacturing—where Trump held his rally $3,000 for violating coronavirus prevention mandates. 

Chief Critic 

“These Nevadans have been working tirelessly around the clock for six months to slow the spread of this deadly virus and now face a probable increase in contagious spread over the coming weeks due to the president’s callous disregard for our emergency directives and mitigation measures,” said Sisolak. 

Crucial Quote 

When asked, Trump said he is not subject to state restrictions on in-person gatherings and is “not at all concerned” about contracted Covid-19. 

Key Background 

The last indoor rally Trump held in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in June, was linked to a regional spike in coronavirus cases by local health officials. Prominent Republican and 2012 presidential candidate Herman Cain died of complications from the virus, which he tested positive for nine days after attending the Tulsa rally. Cain, who had been diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in 2006, tweeted a photo of himself not wearing a face-covering on the day of the rally. 

Further Reading

“Trump Claims He’s Not Subject To State Laws Limiting Indoor Events Over Coronavirus” (Forbes)

“Trump Campaign Rallies Make Their Comeback” (Wall Street Journal)