Politics

House Judiciary Chairman and Trump foe Jerry Nadler nearly faints at press event with New York Mayor Bill de Blasio

Key Points
  • House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., appears to nearly pass out at a press event while sitting next to New York Mayor Bill de Blasio.
  • Nadler, 71, appears pallid and sick at the event promoting speed cameras. He is immediately attended to by people in the room.
  • Nadler spokesman Daniel Schwarz tells CNBC that the chairman is "okay," and that he "seems to have been dehydrated" and that "it was very warm in the room."
Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Jerry Nadler appeared weak while attending a Bill de Blasio press event on Friday May 24th, 2019.
Source: NBC 4 New York

House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler appeared to nearly pass out at a press event Friday while sitting next to New York Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Nadler, 71, appeared pallid and sick at the event in New York City promoting traffic safety measures. Video footage of the incident shows Nadler slumped in his seat, facing down at the table and having some difficulty responding to de Blasio, who had asked if he was okay. Nadler was immediately attended to by people in the room.

TWEET

Nadler spokesman Daniel Schwarz told CNBC that the Democratic lawmaker from New York is "okay," and that he "seems to have been dehydrated," adding that "it was very warm in the room."

The event was reportedly held in a gymnasium at a public school on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

"He is now responsive and receiving a check-up," Schwarz said.

In a tweet after the event, Nadler said that he "felt a bit ill" but was "glad to receive fluids and am feeling much better."

Nadler TWEET

Local reporters watching the event unfold said that de Blasio was helping Nadler drink from the mayor's own water bottle and that Nadler was given an orange to eat.

De Blasio is also a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate.

Nadler has emerged as one of President Donald Trump's top foes in the Democrat-led House, as his committee pursues a broad investigation of corruption and alleged abuses of power by Trump and others in his orbit.

Nadler and other House committee leaders, arguing they are conducting legitimate oversight into the Trump administration, have issued subpoenas and made dozens of requests for documents or testimony from Trump-related entities and associates. The president, meanwhile, has attacked their efforts as an attempt at a "Do-Over" of special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation.

The mayor's office did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for a statement on Nadler's health scare.

This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.