Cleared after positive COVID test, Tillis participates in person at Barrett hearings
Sen. Thom Tillis, who announced he had tested positive for the coronavirus on Oct. 2, returned to Washington on Tuesday and participated in person in the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett.
Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, released a letter from Dr. Jack Faircloth, his personal physician, that cleared him to end his COVID isolation at 4 p.m. Monday. In the letter, Faircloth wrote that Tillis had been asymptomatic for the last eight days.
Tillis had the letter submitted to the committee’s record.
“You are free to return to work without any restrictions on 10/13/2020,” Faircloth wrote.
Tillis, 60, participated in the first day of hearings for Barrett remotely and gave an opening statement. Tuesday, he was in the room to question Barrett for about 10 minutes of his allotted 30 minutes.
“I look forward to supporting her nomination,” Tillis said in closing.
Sen. Mike Lee, whose positive coronavirus test led Tillis to get tested, appeared in person at the hearings Monday. Tillis, Lee and several others who tested positive attended a White House event for President Donald Trump’s official announcement of Barrett’s nomination Sept. 26. Trump and first lady Melania Trump also tested positive.
Trump is back on the campaign trail and will visit Greenville on Thursday.
Tillis is running for re-election against Democrat Cal Cunningham. The race is seen as key to determining which party controls the U.S. Senate. On the same day Tillis announced his positive test, Cunningham confirmed the authenticity of sexual text messages to a woman who was not his wife.
Tillis said he has enrolled in the antibody study from Wake Forest Baptist Health and Atrium Health and that he will participate in another UNC-Chapel Hill COVID-19 study. He mentioned both during the hearing.
“I hope that anyone who’s recovered from COVID will do their part to try and heal this country from the health challenges COVID has presented us. I intend to do my part,” Tillis said.
Tillis talked about several topics during his time in the hearing, including the perils of social media (“Treat social media like roadkill. Just don’t look at it”), abortion, health care and gun sales.
“We’re seeing great cities burned and looted,” Tillis said. “... I think people are afraid because many people, including people on this committee, are unwilling to condemn the acts of violence and public safety out there and condemn violence against law enforcement which is rampant.”
Trailing Cunningham in race for US Senate
A new Morning Consult poll released Tuesday morning shows Cunningham with a 47%-41% lead in the race. A WRAL poll released Monday found Cunningham with a 49%-39% edge.
During his opening remarks, Tillis said “this nomination is important because it’s going to have a lasting impact on our republic.”
“I know that you’re an inspiration to millions of young women in this country, like my granddaughters,” said Tillis, who had Barrett sign two pocket Constitutions that he plans to give his young granddaughters. “And we’re proud of you.”
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This story was originally published October 13, 2020 at 8:17 AM.
