POUGHKEEPSIE – Democrats in Dutchess County took to social media on Wednesday to announce that Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, a Republican, has tested positive for COVID. Molinaro said it is nothing more than a rumor started by the Democrats.
On Wednesday morning, the Dutchess Dems’ Facebook page had a post that said, “The rumors appear to be true. Molinaro has tested positive for Covid.” Citing his recent attendance at a GOP holiday gathering with county Republicans not wearing masks, the Dems added, “We hope that they haven’t been spreading it all over Dutchess government. Don’t they all need to quarantine? And shouldn’t Molinaro and his fellow reps be notifying the public, especially those that they’ve come into contact with?”
New York State Republican Party Chairman Nick Langworthy was angered by the rumor spread by the Dutchess County Democrats. Mid-Hudson News asked Langworthy what his impression of the post was. “This is sick. These are the same Democrats who stood silent while Andrew Cuomo was killing seniors. Antonio Delgado, the top Democrat in the county needs to call on them to apologize and take these disgraceful posts down.”
The Democrats also brought Molinaro’s personal life into the post, saying “Molinaro’s father died from Covid. He really should be ashamed for his position on masking.”
Molinaro told Mid-Hudson News, “I am reminded every day that I lost my father to this virus. There is only one message to anyone who contracts this virus and that is to wish them a full and speedy recovery.”
Proclaiming that he has not tested positive for the virus, Molinaro said if it was true, he would follow the appropriate protocols. “There’s an old saying about making assumptions… and, for the record, I’m otherwise healthy but could lose a couple of pounds.”
