Pa. lawmaker forced to leave White House meeting with President Trump after positive COVID-19 test

Pennsylvania State Sen. Doug Mastriano had to depart a meeting last week with President Donald Trump in the White House after receiving a positive coronavirus test result.

The Republican lawmaker visited Washington with fellow Pennsylvania GOP colleagues Wednesday after holding a public meeting in Gettysburg to discuss unfounded election claims, the Associated Press reported Sunday. 

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Everyone at Wednesday’s meeting took a rapid COVID-19 test – a requirement to be within close proximity to the president. But the results were not revealed until they were in the West Wing. 

Mastriano’s son and his son’s friend also attended the meeting and tested positive for the coronavirus. After they were informed of their test results, they left the meeting and did not return. They each were offered care from White House medical personnel. The meeting continued for another 30 minutes.

The 56-year-old Mastriano, a conservative and ardent Trump supporter, represents Pennsylvania’s 33rd Senatorial District, which includes Adams, Cumberland, Franklin and York counties. He has served in the state senate since 2019.

Earlier in the day, Mastriano appeared without a mask at a public gathering organized by the Senate Majority Policy Committee at a hotel in Gettysburg. There, several Republican state senators, Trump and the president’s legal team made false claims of election fraud in Pennsylvania.

Since the presidential race was called for President-elect Joe Biden earlier this month, Trump and his legal team consistently have made baseless, unsubstantiated accusations of illegal voting. 

Despite the Trump campaign’s numerous legal challenges to the election results, no widespread voter fraud has been found in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania certified its election results Tuesday, affirming Biden's victory. Biden won the state by a margin of 80,000 votes.

Mastriano’s positive COVID-19 test came in the wake of several White House officials, including Trump, contracting the coronavirus in recent months. White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, who also previously tested positive for COVID-19, was at Wednesday’s meeting as well.

 Mastriano, his son and his son's friend took separate transportation from Gettysburg to the White House for the meeting.