GOP Congressman Joe Wilson Hospitalized After Collapsing at an Event in Washington DC

On Tuesday night, South Carolina Congressman Joe Wilson, a Republican representative from Springdale, was taken to a hospital in Washington DC following a fall at an event. The 77-year-old lawmaker was reportedly suffering from ‘stroke-like symptoms’, a state of distress that was later confirmed by his son, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson.

Immediate Medical Assistance

Representing South Carolina’s 2nd District since 2001, the long-time politician’s office posted an official statement about the incident stating, “Congressman Joe Wilson was taken ill and is being evaluated at a local hospital in Washington, DC.” The hospitalization took place after Wilson’s collapse at a Ukrainian Independence Day celebration where he received first-hand medical care from a doctor present among the attendees.

Family and Colleagues Pray for Swift Recovery

Alan Wilson, the congressman’s son, took to social media to communicate about his father’s condition as he said, “I just spoke to my mom who is currently at the hospital with my father. Doctors have confirmed to us that he has experienced stroke-like symptoms.” He further added that his father was stable and under constant medical surveillance. The news was met with messages of support and prayers for Congressman Wilson’s swift recovery from his fellow members of South Carolina’s congressional delegation.

Recent Activities and Controversies

Earlier on Tuesday, Wilson was seen actively participating in House votes and joking with reporters on Capitol Hill. This incident follows Congress’s month-long summer break and its reconvening on Monday. A notable figure in the political landscape, Wilson is also the Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia. He recently returned from official trips to the Philippines, Australia, and Europe and had even met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Upon his return, he plunged into his election campaign against Democrat David Robinson II for his district that includes the western and central parts of the state, inclusive of Lexington and Aiken counties.

Wilson is known to stir controversies, most notably his headline-making outburst during then-President Obama’s joint address to Congress on September 9, 2009. He had shouted “You lie!” while Obama was disputing claims about illegal immigrants receiving health coverage. Later, the House voted to “disapprove” of Wilson’s outburst, calling it a “breach of decorum” that had “degraded the proceedings” and brought “discredit” to the body. Although he had apologized for his actions to the White House, he maintained that there were “far more important issues” confronting the nation.