After a painful battle with home-exercise equipment last week, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) vowed he’d be back in Washington for the first day of the 114th Congress.
With a fall in which he broke “a number of ribs and bones in his face,” at age 75, that seemed a longshot. Despite Reid making it to D.C., he didn’t make it to the floor of the upper chamber today.
Reid spokesman Adam Jentleson said “on orders from his doctors he will not come into the office so that his injuries can continue to heal.”
“He has been diagnosed with broken bones in his face and three broken ribs, as well as a concussion,” Jentleson said. “Despite his injuries, he has been working every day, holding meetings with fellow Senators and staff. Senator Reid has spoken with President Obama multiple times since his injury and will continue to keep a busy schedule in the coming days.”
“According to precedent, Senator Durbin, the Assistant Democratic Leader, will assume Senator Reid’s duties on the floor until Senator Reid’s doctors allow him to return.”
Reid released a video revealing his face for the first time, with tape over his right eye and visible bruising. He quipped about his amateur boxing career, noting he never came out of a fight looking as bad as he does now.
“I didn’t get this black eye by sparring with Manny [Pacquiao], by challenging Floyd Mayweather, I didn’t go bullriding, I wasn’t riding a motorcycle — I was exercising in my new home,” Reid said, not elaborating further on what he was doing to inflict that much damage.
He lamented missing the first day of Congress, saying he had a floor presentation all ready to go.
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