Joe Wilson collapses and is urgently admitted to hospital: everything we know about his condition

The social media team representing the Congressman said the long-time South Carolina representative “was taken ill and is being evaluated at a local hospital in Washington, D.C.”

According to reports, 77-year-old Wilson attended a series of votes during Tuesday afternoon’s session at the House of Representatives. Afterward, he went to a debate watch party organized by a local Republican club. However, his health deteriorated during the party, and CPR had to be performed at the place.

Who is Joe Wilson?

John Wilson is a senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee in Congress and serves as the chair of the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia Subcommittee and the Subcommittee on Europe. He has been in Congress since 2001, representing a district that stretches from Columbia to the Georgia-South Carolina border. Prior to his election, he served in the South Carolina State Senate from 1985 to 2001.

He is a member of the Republican Party and the House Republican Policy Committee, serving as an assistant Republican whip. In 2009, Wilson gained attention for interrupting President Obama’s speech to a joint session of Congress and shouting, “You lie!” This incident led to a reprimand by the House of Representatives.

Wilson was born in Charleston, South Carolina. In 1969, he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Washington and Lee University. He received his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1972.

A real estate attorney, Wilson was a partner at the law firm Kirkland, Wilson, Moore, Taylor & Thomas in West Columbia, where he practiced for over 25 years. Additionally, he served as a municipal judge in Springdale, South Carolina.

Wilson was actively involved in South Carolina Republican politics during the party’s early stages in the state. He participated in his first Republican campaign in 1962 at the age of 15.