Editor’s note: This story contains language that may be offensive to some readers.
President Donald Trump today retweeted a false claim about Renown’s parking garage, which has been converted into a care site for COVID-19 patients.
A Twitter account for an anonymously authored Las Vegas website tweeted, “Here is the fake Nevada parking garage hospital picture that our moron governor tweeted, proving it’s all a scam. No patients, folded up beds, wrapped up equipment that’s never been used! They spent millions on this scam and never seen a single patient in this fake hospital!”
In his retweet, Trump responded, “Fake election results in Nevada, also.”
Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak fired back in response: “For nearly nine months, the State of Nevada has not only had to battle this pandemic, we have had to fight the President’s nonstop attempts to politicize a virus that has led to over 260,000 American deaths.”
The Vegas website, in response to Sisolak’s tweet, falsely claimed, again, the site was not being used to treat patients.
Renown officials said 42 patients are currently being cared for inside of the parking garage hospital structure.
The Reno Gazette Journal reported Nov. 16 that the facility started housing patients due to a COVID-19 surge taxing hospital bed capacity.
“We are currently caring for 10 patients in our Alternate Care Site,” Renown told RGJ two weeks ago. “These patients are clinically stable or improving, and do not require critical care.”
On Facebook, a user today said she was a patient in the garage.
“I am currently in one of the beds here at the parking garage, and let me tell you guys there are plenty of beds being used,” she said.
Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve said she was disgusted by Trump’s remarks.
“I am disgusted by falsehoods and lack of reality and compassion for lives in Reno and across America. We see them, we value them. The reality is had you done the same they would be alive,” she tweeted.
Governor Sisolak railed on the President for impugning Nevada’s healthcare workers:
“His consistent misleading rhetoric on COVID-19 is dangerous and reckless, and today’s implication that Renown’s alternate care site is a “fake hospital” is among the worst examples we’ve seen. It is unconscionable for him to continue to spread lies and sow distrust at a time when all Americans should be united during this historic public health crisis. Enough is enough.
“Nevada’s healthcare professionals continue to work around the clock to provide life-saving care to Nevadans during this pandemic, including standing up an alternate care site in a parking garage to ensure access to medical care for all those who need it.
“Renown Hospital has served as a pillar of strength for the Northern Nevada community throughout this pandemic, and especially during this current surge. Every day, their health care workers mask up, go to work, and care for Nevadans most in need. They too live with the fear of becoming infected and bringing this virus back home to their families, yet they have sat at bedsides holding the hands of patients so they wouldn’t have to be alone. They aren’t liars, as the President implied — they are heroes.
“I call on all leaders throughout Nevada – regardless of political affiliation – to join me in condemning the President’s attacks on the integrity of our healthcare workers.”
The Las Vegas website claims to be a news and entertainment writing source for Las Vegas; however, posts made on the website do not follow journalistic standards. It calls members of the news media “scum bag [sic] propagandists” and repeatedly attacks politicians using foul language and poor grammar.
The website refers to Sisolak as “Adolph Sisolak,” “the Führer” and “shitbag Sisolak.”
It appears to be affiliated with a T-shirt company called “Shirts of Liberty”—which advertises its gun-related T-shirts “that will make liberals heads explode”—and another website geared toward off-grid living and wilderness survival that recently published a piece entitled ,“Are Mask Mandates meant to Kill the Soul and Spirit of Humanity?”
A search of the domain names reveals that all three websites are registered in Nevada but does not reveal who is behind them. Nor do the websites have any information about their creator(s).
“This is an attack on our community as we face this unprecedented challenge,” Schieve added. “This is exactly the inhumane and cavalier attitude that has cost thousands of Americans their lives.
“Perhaps [Trump] should put down the phone, get off the golf cart, and come down to our hospitals and see for himself the reality which he blatantly chooses to not face,” she added.
