Washington, July 31 (RHC)-- Texas Republican Congressmember Louie Gohmert tested positive for the coronavirus Wednesday, after he consistently refused to wear a mask in the U.S. Capitol — including in a committee hearing Tuesday where Attorney General William Barr gave testimony. 

Gohmert’s diagnosis came after he was tested by the White House ahead of a planned trip to West Texas with President Trump aboard Air Force One.  After testing positive, Gohmert returned to his office on Capitol Hill, where he told a Texas TV station he had sometimes worn a mask in recent days.

Rep. Louie Gohmert sadi: “I can’t help but wonder if my keeping a mask on and keeping it in place, that if I might have put some germs or some of the virus onto the mask and breathed it in.”

Asked by a Politico reporter for comment, an aide to Congressmember Gohmert wrote: “Thank you for letting our office know Louie tested positive for the Coronavirus.”  The aide added: “When you write your story, can you include the fact that Louie requires full staff to be in the office, including three interns, so that ‘we could be an example to America on how to open up safely.’ When probing the office, you might want to ask how often were people berated for wearing masks.”

Texas Congressmember Kay Granger has gone into self-quarantine, after she sat next to Gohmert on a weekend flight.  

Congressmember Gohmert said he’ll be taking hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malaria drug that’s been shown not to work against COVID-19. The drug, which can have fatal side effects, was popularized by President Trump.

Meanwhile, Texas Republican congressional candidate Wesley Hunt also tested positive for COVID-19 just hours before he was scheduled to greet President Trump in Midland.