US Senators Richard Burr (R-NC), Kelly Loeffler (R-GA), Diane Feinstein (D-CA) and Jim Inhofe (R-OK) are on the defensive following reports they illegally sold off stocks following a COVID-19 novel coronavirus briefing in January, profiting off a pandemic while their constituents face economic uncertainties and lagging leadership.
John Ross, a senior fellow of the Chongyang Institute at Renmin University of China, joined Radio Sputnik’s Political Misfits on Friday to discuss the allegations of insider trading and offer expert advice on how the administration of US President Donald Trump can lessen the inevitable death toll from the novel coronavirus in the states.
“It shouldn’t be legal,” Ross told hosts Bob Schlehuber and Jamarl Thomas, referring to the insider trading accusations laid out in a New York Times article on the senators.
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“There [are] only two cases in the United States in which there have been massive deaths on US soil: the Civil War and the so-called Spanish flu,” he said. “This is going to be the third. It’s a once-in-a-century event.”
Just last week, Loeffler – who was sworn into office this year – asserted that “the consumer is strong, the economy is strong, jobs are growing.” Meanwhile, immediately after the January COVID-19 briefing, the Georgia senator sold off stocks valued at approximately $1.275 million to $3.1 million and also bought stock in two other companies, one of which markets teleconferencing software, according to Forbes.
In addition, Loeffler’s husband, Jeffrey Sprecher, is the chairman of the New York Stock Exchange.
When asked about reports of insider trading during Friday’s COVID-19 press briefing, Trump did not appear concerned about the issue, but ultimately expressed that his administration may possibly investigate the alleged criminal acts.
“I find them to all be very honorable people. That’s all I know. And they said they did nothing wrong. I find them – the whole group – very honorable people,” he said. While Trump emphasized that he holds all those accused in high regard, he lashed out at a reporter who named only the Republicans accused and did not include Feinstein – despite the fact that he himself only referenced the California senator.
Burr, Feinstein, Inhofe and Loeffler have each issued statements via social media that argue their innocence against the allegations – and netizens have responded with thousands of tweets expressing their skepticism.
“In order to have a mass shutdown – which is what was done in China – you’ve got to be able to supply people at home with food, money and so on. And that’s simply not being done in the United States,” he explained. If these necessities are not provided, people have no choice but to go out and risk getting infected. Considering the lack of testing in the states, some may even be unknowingly spreading the virus.
The views and opinions expressed in the article do not necessarily reflect those of Sputnik.
Sourse: sputniknews.com
