Texas GOP Leader Hospitalized For COVID-19 Dies Days After Mocking Vaccines

A Texas Republican leader who was hospitalized earlier this week with COVID-19 has died just days after he posted an anti-vaccination message — and previously shared an image touting a “mask burning” event.

H. Scott Apley, 45, a member of the State Republican Executive Committee and Dickinson City Council, died Wednesday, the Galveston County Republican Party announced in a Facebook post with an “extremely heavy heart.” 

The post didn’t mention the cause of death. But Apley was admitted to a local hospital last Sunday with “pneumonia-like symptoms and tested positive for COVID,” and was placed on a ventilator, according to a GoFundMe page set up for his family.

Apley’s widow, Melissa, also tested positive for the coronavirus but has not been hospitalized, according to the GoFundMe page. They recently had a baby son, Reid.

“A tragedy,” the GOP Facebook post read. ” Please pray for Melissa and Reid and their family. God remains in control, although this is yet another tough one to swallow.”

The Texas Republican Party issued a statement saying members were “incredibly saddened” to learn of Apley’s death.

A week ago Apley had reposted a mocking commentary about the changing COVID-19 vaccination situation, noting that in six months the nation had gone from “the vax ending the pandemic to … you can still die of COVID if you get vaxxed … to the unvaxxed are killing the vaxxed.”

“Better get the jab,” one person responded.

Another responded after Apley’s death: “Rest in peace. Wish you would have got vaccinated so your family doesn’t have to mourn you.”

The Republican leader also posted a message claiming that Germany “plans to force people who won’t quarantine into camps.”

In April, Apley slammed news on Twitter about the effectiveness of the Pfizer vaccine.

In one particularly heartbreaking post in early July, Apley wrote: “Nothing makes you contemplate your mortality like attending the funeral of a friend. I hope to live a long time. I have a lot of things that I want to do, and see, and experience with my wife and my friends, and my family. And I have a lot of hopes and dreams for my son Reid.”