As his colleagues played baseball in his honor Thursday evening, MedStar Washington Hospital Center medical gave an update on Rep. Steve Scalise, who remains in critical condition but has improved.
Democratic and Republican members of Congress are going to bat for unity at their annual charity baseball game on Thursday, just one day after the shooting of House Majority Whip Steve Scalise and several others at a GOP practice in Alexandria, Virginia.
The gunman was shot by Capitol Police officers who were in Scalise's security detail and later died of his injuries. But a congressional aide-turned-lobbyist, Matt Mika, was shot multiple times and critically injured, and he remained hospitalized. He underwent an operation to stop the bleeding and will require more surgeries. This year's baseball game, played at Nationals Park in Southeast Washington, looks to be a place where members can show it. More than $1 million has been raised for Congressional Sports for Charity so far, the game's organizers announced. Scalise, a graduate of LSU and a passionate baseball fan, was well-known for his support of the Congressional Baseball Game.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said that on Thursday night, everyone will be "Team Scalise".
President Donald Trump says that wounded Congressman Steve Scalise's condition is more hard than people first realized.
Shortly after the shooting, coaches for both teams said they would go forward with the game.
Ticket sales picked up after Wednesday's shooting, eventually setting an attendance record, the organizers said, as attendees such as Alexander Hilten, 16, of Arlington, Virginia, chose to come to the game for the first time. The wounded Capitol Police officers were identified as David Bailey, who was treated for a minor injury, and Crystal Griner, who was shot in the ankle.
Democrats win annual baseball game with special meaning
In one of the few light moments yesterday, a Republican congressman said he hoped Richmond would bow out of Thursday's game. Trump , in a video message played at the game, said the event had "a much deeper level of meaning" because of the shooting.
Almost 25,000 tickets were sold for the game and it was on track to raise more than $1 million, roughly double what it did a year ago, organizers said.
Congressman Cedric Richmond, a Democrat from Louisiana and the team's star pitcher, visited Scalise twice on Wednesday and will do so again before taking the mound on Thursday.
PAT MEEHAN: I've struck him out on a curve ball a couple of years ago, and every time we see each other, we talk about that.
Richmond said he assumes he will be Thursday night's starting pitcher for the Democrats, and the former college baseball player is likely to make Democrats the favorite tonight. "It'll be a different game without him there". "But during the game, we're going to play to win, and I know Joe's team is going to do the same thing", Doyle said on Wednesday.
"I think the security for members of Congress is embarrassingly inadequate".
"We are grateful to Congress for thinking of Rep. Steve Scalise during this hard time and recognizing him by wearing LSU gear in support of his recovery", LSU President F. King Alexander said in a statement posted to the university's website.
Comments