Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, said her son has seen a “very rapid” decline since moving into a retirement facility, after he discovered over the weekend that the congresswoman had been absent from her duties at the Capitol for about six months. .
Brandon Granger He told the New York Post His mother made the decision to move to a retirement community on her own, even though she has since shown signs of dementia over the past three months.
The 81-year-old congresswoman, who is not seeking reelection, will retire at the end of this year congress period, She has remained largely absent from the Capitol in recent months, last voting on July 24. It was not present for more than 54% of the votes this year.
Granger's absence was first reported by the Dallas Express on Friday in an article that quoted a constituent in her district who said Granger was staying at a memory care facility in Texas.
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Retiring Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, appears at the unveiling of her portrait as chair of the Appropriations Committee in Washington, D.C., in November. (Kay Granger's office)
A source in Granger's office She spoke to Fox News on Sunday, He denies that the congresswoman is in the facility's memory care unit. Granger was staying at the retirement facility where memory care is provided, but not in the memory care unit itself, the source said.
Brandon Granger Crushed Reports He said his mother was in a memory care unit after she was found wandering around like a “load of bulls.”
“They have a memory care facility there, but it’s in an independent living facility,” Brandon Granger told The Post. “It's a nice apartment. I helped her move in.”
Granger speaks during a press conference with other Republican members of the House of Representatives at the Capitol on July 21, 2020, in Washington, D.C. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)
Brandon Granger added that his mother's deterioration was “very rapid and very difficult,” although he did not say whether she had received treatment at the memory center, the Washington Post reported.
Granger issued a statement on Sunday saying she was confronted “Health Challenges” He is “extremely grateful for the outpouring of care and attention” over the weekend.
“As many of my family members, friends, and colleagues know, I have been facing some unexpected health challenges over the past year,” Granger said in the statement. “However, since early September, my health challenges have worsened, making frequent travel to Washington difficult and unpredictable. During this time, my wonderful staff has remained steadfast, and continues to provide exceptional foundation services, as they have for the past 27 years.” “
Granger, center, talks with Rep. Steve Womack, R-Arkansas, during the House Appropriations Committee's preparation of the “FY 2024 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food, Drug Administration, and Related Agencies and Interim Budget Appropriations Subcommittee Bill” at the Rayburn Building on June 14 2023. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
While Granger apparently has not cast a ballot since July, she returned to the Capitol in November for the unveiling of her portrait as chair of the Appropriations Committee, and the reception that followed. Speaker of the House Johnson, The event was attended by both Republican from Los Angeles and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Republican from Los Angeles.
Granger has served in the House since 1997. She previously served as the city's first female mayor Fort Worth, Texas.
He will succeed Republican Congressman-elect Craig Goldman Granger in January.
Fox News' Chad Pergram contributed to this report.
