Sen. Scott 'Misspoke' About His Diagnosis

The Florida senator apparently said 'positive' by mistake
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Oct 3, 2020 12:30 PM CDT
Sen. Scott: I Really Don't Have COVID-19
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., right, meets with Judge Amy Coney Barrett, President Donald Trumps nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020.   (Anna Moneymaker/The New York Times via AP, Pool)

Sen. Rick Scott said he misspoke Saturday when he said on national television that he had tested positive for COVID-19, the AP reports. The Republican from Florida tweeted: "I misspoke this morning in my @FoxNews interview. I was tested yesterday for COVID and tested NEGATIVE." During an interview Saturday morning on Cavuto Live, when asked about three Senate colleagues who had contracted the virus in recent days, Scott said, "I was tested yesterday, I think for the 6th time, and I tested positive again."

At least three Republican colleagues—Sens. Mike Lee of Utah, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin—have been diagnosed with the virus in recent days. A few moments before he misspoke, Scott had said that senators were still doing their jobs. "They're talking to people. They're trying to do their job every day," Scott said. A short time later, Scott's spokesman, Chris Hartline, tweeted, "For everyone calling and texting right now, Senator Scott misspoke on TV this morning. He tested negative for COVID yesterday."

(More Rick Scott stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X