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.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event at Xtreme Manufacturing on September 13, ... [+]
Key Facts
“I am respectfully requesting some clarity and explanation from the [White House’s Coronavirus] Task Force for myself and the millions of Nevadans I represent,” wrote the Democratic governor in a letter addressed to Vice President Mike Pence.
Both rallies—one outside at the Minden-Tahoe Airport, the other inside at Xtreme Manufacturing in Henderson—closely packed together thousands of the president’s supporters, the majority of whom were not wearing masks, and directly violated state and federal guidance.
Sisolak has limited in-person gatherings both indoors and outdoors to 50 people since May, a recommendation based on the White House’s guidelines for reopening.
“You can imagine my confusion and utter disbelief over the contradictory and dismissive behavior demonstrated by the president this past weekend when he held two mass gathering events ... in direct violation of our state’s emergency directives,” said Sisolak in the Wednesday letter.
Sisolak also criticized Trump before the event for “taking reckless and selfish actions that are putting countless lives in danger.”
Until last week, Nevada was classified by the Trump administration as an elevated risk state in the “red zone,” and for the past week has reported from 200 to 400 new cases per day.
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)
