Super Spreader: Over A Dozen D.C. A-Listers Served COVID At Posh Gridiron Dinner
Every year, the elite members of the media gather with lawmakers for a debauched night of frivolity called the Gridiron Dinner. The white-tie event — big-time off the record — features much wine and expensive food, along with comedy routines and songs in which journalists join up with politicians for a weird incestuous dance.
But this year’s dinner brought a twist of irony that if you wrote it for a Hollywood script, the producers would reject it as too far-fetched.
“Tom DeFrank, the president of the Gridiron Club, said 14 guests at Saturday’s dinner have tested positive and that other cases could be expected,” CNN reported.
“As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, we know of 14 guests at Saturday’s dinner who have tested positive for Covid. There is no way of being certain about when they first contracted Covid,” DeFrank said. “But they did interact with other guests during the night and we have to be realistic and expect some more cases. Except in cases of public officials who have on their own disclosed their status, we will protect the privacy of guests who test positive.”
Among those 14 are two members of President Joe Biden’s Cabinet: Attorney General Merrick Garland and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. “Other attendees, including Vice President Kamala Harris’ communication director Jamal Simmons and Democratic Reps. Joaquin Castro and Adam Schiff … have also announced positive tests,” CNN reported.
In a statement, the Commerce Department said Raimondo has COVID-19 and “the vaccine has prevented her from experiencing more significant symptoms.”
She put out her own tweet touting the vaccine as well: “Today, I tested positive for COVID. Fortunately, I am fully vaccinated (and boosted!), and I am confident that this vaccine is the reason I don’t have more severe symptoms. For the next 5 days, I will be working from home and will return to @CommerceGov once I test negative.”
Today, I tested positive for COVID. Fortunately, I am fully vaccinated (and boosted!), and I am confident that this vaccine is the reason I don’t have more severe symptoms.
For the next 5 days, I will be working from home and will return to @CommerceGov once I test negative.
— Secretary Gina Raimondo (@SecRaimondo) April 6, 2022
The irony is deep. Attending the dinner were many of the journalists and lawmakers who had endlessly pushed for mask mandates and stern lockdowns.
“This year’s dinner required the white-tie guests to show proof of COVID vaccination to enter,” Emily Miller noted, adding that top U.S. immunologist Dr. Anthony Fauci and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky “attended and were surely pleased with this policy.”
Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday put out this statement, according to Miller: “Jamal Simmons, the Vice President’s Communications Director, tested positive for COVID-19 today. Jamal was in close contact to the Vice President as defined by CDC guidance. Jamal is isolating and working from home. The Vice President will follow CDC guidance for those that have been in close contact with a positive individual and will continue to consult with her physician. The Vice President plans to continue with her public schedule.”
Miller offered this in conclusion: “All of these Washington insiders were able to attend the fancy party and hobnob with the powerful because they have gotten at least two vaccine doses. The DC outbreak now just shows that vaccine mandates are a useless way to stop the spread of COVID and just further segregates the elite from the rest of us.”
Joseph Curl has covered politics for 35 years, including 12 years as White House correspondent, and ran the Drudge Report from 2010 to 2015. Send tips to [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @josephcurl.
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