Longtime Aide To House Republican Dies Of COVID

The Hill reports:

A longtime staffer for Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) died from the coronavirus on Friday, the congressman announced, becoming the first known congressional aide to die from the illness.

Buchanan [photo] said in a statement that he was “devastated” by the death of Gary Tibbetts, a field representative for the congressman in Florida who was a member of his staff since 2011.

Tibbetts, 66, a retired police officer, died at a Florida hospital. “Gary was the consummate professional and a true public servant in every sense of the word,” Buchanan said in his statement.

We are deeply saddened and mourn the loss of our dear friend Gary Tibbetts.
Gary was a great supporter of #BradentonPD, and all of law enforcement. He was a dedicated and tireless advocate for the community he proudly served. pic.twitter.com/GBJqItSBnJ

— Bradenton Police (@BradentonPD) July 24, 2020

RELATED: Buchanan last appeared on JMG when he authored a successful House bill to outlaw the eating of dogs and cats, which is not known to be a problem in the United States. Prior to that he appeared here when it was revealed that he bought himself a multi-million dollar yacht on the very day that he and fellow House Republicans voted to slash taxes on the wealthy.