Bombshell Dallas Express reporting says U.S. Representative Kay Granger has been in an independent living facility for nearly six months with dementia issues. But mysteriously, in the meantime, someone had posted on the Texas Republican’s official X account, most recently when Granger seemed to praise her intern team.
Granger, 81, was first elected in 1997 and has announced she will retire at the end of her current term. But the Dallas Express noticed she hadn’t voted on anything since July and, following up on online rumors she was in a memory care facility, confirmed that Granger was indeed at an independent living facility for seniors in Texas. The outlet could not contact anyone at Granger’s office for comment, and no official statement had been made about where she was.
The Express confirmed Granger was living at Tradition Senior Living in Fort Worth, Texas. Granger’s son, Brandon Granger, told the Dallas Morning News his mother was living with dementia but was not in memory care as was reported. Since Dallas Express broke the story, Granger’s office has also confirmed where Granger has been but has provided no further details.
Amid the uncertainty, questions remain about who has been in charge of Granger’s affairs for more than five months and how the Texas 12th congressional district went unrepresented without someone noticing.
The phantom X posts
While Granger hasn’t voted on anything since July, she was back in Washington at least once for an official portrait unveiling and to honor her career as chair of the House Appropriations Committee. (She stepped down in March.) At that visit, Granger was pictured with her colleagues. However, there’s no clear indication of how much anyone knew about her health or if anyone asked any questions about her recent voting record.
Since Granger last voted in the House, several X posts on her official account have noted holidays and events like Small Business Sunday, with some news from her district. The posts give no clear indication she is no longer working or had health issues, suggesting her staff must have known her status for months before the Dallas Express story.
Granger’s office finally released a statement Monday about Granger’s whereabouts.”As many of my family, friends, and colleagues have known, I have been navigating some unforeseen health challenges over the past year,” the statement said.
It added, “However, since early September, my health challenges have progressed, making frequent travel to Washington both difficult and unpredictable. During this time, my incredible staff has remained steadfast, continuing to deliver exceptional constituent services, as they have for the past 27 years.”
Speaking with Meet the Press Sunday, however, Texas Republican Congressman Tony Gonzales said Granger’s colleagues knew she had aged, but he was uncertain if House leadership knew she was in an assisted living facility or even noted her absence.
Gonzales said, “I’m not too sure what leadership knew on it or didn’t know on it. I think this goes…gets back to the root of it. Congress should do its job, and if you can’t do your job, maybe you shouldn’t be there.” Texas Republican congressman-elect Craig Goldman will succeed Granger in January.
Published: Dec 23, 2024 03:03 pm