Staffers from a renowned downtown Minneapolis restaurant are in quarantine after working last week’s west metro fundraiser attended by President Donald Trump.
Murray’s Steahouse was hired to cater the get-together at the home of Cambria owner Marty Davis, with 13 workers from the Twin Cities dining institution assigned to work the event.
Operators of Murray’s say none of the staff members came in close proximity with the president, who tested positive for coronavirus after returning to Washington from his trip to Shorewood and Duluth.
Management immediately enated a 14-day quarantine for all staff who worked the party after learning of the president’s diagnosis.
All 13 will be tested for COVID-19.
Guests allegedly paid up to $100,000 a plateor $200,000 per couple to attend Trump's fundraiser, which happened less than 48 hours before he revealed he was COVID positive.
One guest, St. Paul philanthropist Helene Houle, told Daily Mail no one was closer than six feet to the president.
She added that all guests had to wait in their cars to get tested before the event and they weren't allowed to go in until they had tested negative. He spoke and headed to his rally in Duluth before anyone ate dinner.
"We got to have our photos taken with President Trump but we weren't next to him, we were 6 to 8 feet away from him,’ she said, adding the event was "a thrill." "He spoke for a good hour,’ Houle said. ‘We could ask him any question we wanted. It was really a thrill to be in the presence of the president for me."
A spokesman for the restaurant, Chuck Sanger, said Murray's is still able to operate normally despite the fact so many staffers are quarantined.‘
"Our staff was there to work the party only and at no point did any staff come in close proximity to the president,’ the restaurant said in a statement. ‘Upon learning of the president´s positive COVID-19 test, we immediately enacted a 14-day quarantine for all staff who worked the party. Additionally, each staff member who worked the party will be tested for COVID-19."
Unknown is whether they'll be paid during quarantine.
