Local House members say they had no contact with a GOP colleague from Dauphin County who said Wednesday that he has tested positive for COVID-19.
State House Republicans from the area said they had little contact with a GOP member who announced Wednesday that he had tested positive for COVID-19 on May 20, six days after he was last in the Capitol.
State Rep. Josh Kail, R-15, Beaver, sits on the House Judiciary and Liquor Control committees with Dauphin County state Rep. Andrew Lewis, who said he had self-quarantined after testing positive.
On Thursday, Kail said neither committee he shared with Lewis has met in person since March amid the pandemic. “Thankfully, I haven’t had any contact with him,” Kail said.
Kail refuted Democratic accusations that Lewis’ condition was kept secret from them while Republicans were informed, saying that he only learned of Lewis testing positive from reports on Wednesday.
“There were very few people who actually knew,” Kail said, who echoed other GOP members insisting that Lewis followed guidelines put out by the CDC and the Wolf administration.
State Rep. Jim Marshall, R-14, Big Beaver, also said he was unaware of Lewis’ condition and only found out when he texted state Rep. Rob Matzie, D-16, Ambridge, on Wednesday.
Marshall, who said he has had no interaction with Lewis, said Lewis was obligated to tell all House members about his positive test as well as the public because of his movements outside of the capitol building.
“When you’re an elected official, you no longer have privacy,” Marshall said. “I think it should’ve been made public.”
State Rep. Aaron Bernstine, R-10, New Beaver, said he is “good friends” with Lewis, but has not been around him during the timeframe in question.
Matzie had scathing words for House Republican leadership.
“The fact that Republican leadership would try to bury this information is unconscionable. There is no excuse,” Matzie said. “They knew for at least a week, if not longer. Letting these members wander the Capitol – without masks I’d add – and expose colleagues and staff is, frankly, disgusting.”
Matzie said he and other Democrats are demanding “more stringent rules, including disclosure,” following Lewis’ announcement.
Calling it a “sad day in the history of the House of Representatives,” Matzie said “all avenues should be explored to determine who knew what and when did they know it.”
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State House members say they were not exposed to GOP colleague with COVID-19 - The Times
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