Congressman’s daughter says dad ignored medical advise [Video]

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Singer Caroline Gohmert shared her sentiments on Friday after her father, Texas Representative Louie Gohmert, had contracted the coronavirus because he “ignored medical expertise.”
• Before testing positive for COVID-19, the 66-year-old Republican lawmaker has largely deviated from wearing a face mask amid the pandemic.
• Caroline called out her father last year through her song with the lyrics: “You get away with everything / Much like my father.”

Caroline Gohmert, also known as singer Caroline Brooks and Bellsaint, spoke out on Friday about the recent COVID-19 diagnosis of her dad, Texas Representative Louie Gohmert.

In her post on Friday, Caroline tweeted about his 66-year-old father’s “heartbreaking battle” as she pleaded the public to adhere to the guidelines recommended by health experts which her father “ignored,” resulting in contracting the virus.

“Wearing a mask is a non-partisan issue. The advice of medical experts shouldn’t be politicized. My father ignored medical expertise and now he has COVID,” she tweeted.

“This has been a heartbreaking battle bc I love my dad and don’t want him to die. Please please listen to medical experts,” she continued.

“It’s not worth following a president who has no remorse for leading his followers to an early grave,” she added, referring to President Donald Trump’s COVID-19 handling.

The Republican lawmaker had consistently opted not to wear a mask amid the outbreak until having tested positive last week.

He was tested on Wednesday morning during a pre-flight screening at the White House prior to boarding Air Force One en route to Texas with Trump for an oil rig tour and fundraise.

Gohmert told local TV station KETK that he would do 10-day self-isolation, adding that he was asymptomatic. He also faced criticism for not wearing a mask.

“A lot of people have made a big deal out of my not wearing a mask a lot… but in the last week or two I have worn a mask more than I have in the last four months,” he told KETK. However, an aide told Politico that Gohmert’s workers were “berated” if they wore masks when reporting for duty.

Gohmert, without giving any evidence though, said in a later statement that perhaps his practice of wearing masks recently was the reason why he contracted the virus.

“It is interesting… and I don’t know about everybody, but when I have a mask on I’m moving it to make it comfortable, and I can’t help but wonder if that put some germs in the mask. Keep your hands off your mask? Anyway, who knows?,” Gohmert said in a video he posted on Twitter.

Gohmert’s COVID-19 diagnosis had resulted in a lot of Congress staff being ordered to undergo tests before going back to their usual work.

The office of Rep. Gohmert did not immediately reply to PEOPLE’s request for comment regarding his daughter’s statement. 

Last year, Caroline directly called out her father in her song with the lyrics: “You get away with everything / Much like my father.”

Source: People.com