Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D-N.Y.) is taking aim at the senators accused of selling stocks after a coronavirus briefing.
The briefing was held on Jan. 24 to provide senators and health officials with an update on the coronavirus crisis.
The U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions described the purpose of the briefing on their website.
“The novel coronavirus is an emerging public health threat. Senators will have the opportunity to hear directly from senior government health officials regarding what we know about the virus so far, and how our country is prepared to respond as the situation develops,” the statement reads.
Ocasio-Cortez called out the senators, accusing them of for profiting “off this crisis.”
“It is stomach-churning that the first thoughts these Senators had to a dire and classified #COVID briefing was how to profit off this crisis,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted, adding, “They didn’t mobilize to help families, or prep response. They dumped stock. Sen. Loeffler needs to resign, too.”
It is stomach-churning that the first thoughts these Senators had to a dire & classified #COVID briefing was how to profit off this crisis.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 20, 2020
They didn’t mobilize to help families, or prep response. They dumped stock.
Sen. Loeffler needs to resign, too. https://t.co/3lx1Bjt4be
Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Kelly Loeffler (D-Ga.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), and Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) were reportedly aware of the impact of the coronavirus crisis on the economy and sold their stocks before the markets took a dive, as IJR previously reported.
Ocasio-Cortez specifically called out Sen. Loeffler to resign as she and her husband reportedly sold millions in stocks. Loeffler claims she was unaware of the sale.
Ocasio-Cortez added members of Congress “should not be allowed to own individual stock.”
“We are here to serve the public, not to profiteer. It’s shocking that it’s even been allowed up to this point,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted.
Members of Congress should not be allowed to own individual stock.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 20, 2020
We are here to serve the public, not to profiteer. It’s shocking that it’s even been allowed up to this point.
The coronavirus outbreak continues to wreak havoc on the markets. Lawmakers are working to create solutions to the economic downturn. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin was instructed to delay tax day from April to July, as IJR previously reported. This alleviates the pressure of the deadline on taxpayers and businesses.
