‪Trump campaign analyst falsely identified a private citizen as being sick with Coronavirus on Instagram

Michelle Malkin condemns false COVID-19 info originally published by Trump campaign analyst on Instagram

Trump campaign issues apology for publishing false COVID-19 information

National Harbor, Md – A man was falsely identified as the CPAC attendee who tested positive for the Coronavirus. Trump campaign analyst Jalen Johnson named the individual in an Instagram post on Sunday, March 8, 2020.

Johnson originally published the false news on his Instagram page on Sunday, March 8, 2020 stating, “Breaking: @raficarone_21 officially comes down with the Coronavirus, days after attending CPAC.” Johnson included a screenshot of the conversation, where @raficarone_21 states that he is “sick.” Johnson also provided a link to the man’s public instagram account.

When reached for comment by hbg100.com on Monday, March 9, 2020, the private citizen denied the allegations of Trump campaign staffer Jalen Johnson, stating that the he does not have the virus and the allegations are false. 

Deputy Director of Communications for the Trump campaign Matt Wolking provided hbg100.com with a copy of Johnson’s apology ‪statement‬:

Trump campaign analyst Jalen Johnson admits his previously published claim about COVID-19 “is not true, it was not meant to be serious, it was just kidding,” and he apologized for being insensitive.

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Breaking Now: Coronavirus “Patient Zero” at CPAC Conference Positively Identified

New Jersey OB-GYN Doctor and Close Ally of Ted Cruz, 55-year-old Dr. Alan W. Berger Sr., is a clinical instructor at the New York University Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Dr. Berger had contact with several prominent conservatives including Ted Cruz, Rep. Paul Gosar, Rep. Doug Collins, Rep. Matt Gaetz from Florida.

Ian Walters, communications director for the American Conservative Union, which hosted the event, told the Washington Examiner that the patient, whom the group has not publicly identified, was asymptomatic while at the Conservative Political Action Conference, which ran from Feb. 26 to 29 in National Harbor, Maryland. However, after later exhibiting symptoms and testing positive for COVID-19, the patient reached out to officials at the ACU on March 7 to warn that he may have transmitted the disease to others at the gathering.

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Originally Reprorted: CPAC Coronavirus Patient Zero Incorrectly Identified by Trump Campaign Staffer‬

National Harbor, Md – A man was incorrectly identified as the CPAC attendee who tested positive for the Coronavirus, according to Trump campaign staffer Jalen Johnson. Johnson broke the news on his Instagram page on Sunday stating, “Breaking: @raficarone_21 officially comes down with the Coronavirus, days after attending CPAC.” Johnson included a screenshot of the conversation, where @raficarone_21 states that he is “sick.” Johnson also provided a link to the man’s instagram account.

Previously, on Saturday March 7, the American Conservative Union announced that a CPAC 2020 conference attendee had tested positive for coronavirus after attending the conference. The American Conservative Union has since appeared tight lipped on the incident and has not yet released or confirmed the name of the attendee.

Several attendees, distinguished guests, and even speakers at the conference have since announced plans of self quarantine, after having contact with the attendee. Among these individuals is United States Senator Ted Cruz, who announced on Sunday that after having contact with the attendee, planned to “remain at home” in an effort to prevent exposure to constituents. Along with Cruz, Republican Congressman Paul Gosar has also agreed to self-quarantine stating “ I am announcing that I, along with 3 of my senior staff, are officially under self-quarantine after sustained contact at CPAC with a person who has since been hospitalized with the Wuhan Virus.”