Republicans storm out of coronavirus briefing after Democrat rips Trump's response

[babylonsister]

Republicans storm out of coronavirus briefing after Democrat rips Trump's response

Rep. Rosa DeLauro’s comments were indicative of the growing political tensions around the Trump administration’s handling of the coronavirus response.
By ADAM CANCRYN and DAVID LIM
02/28/2020 10:23 AM EST
Updated: 02/28/2020 02:11 PM EST


Several House Republicans walked out of a closed-door coronavirus briefing Friday with Trump health officials in protest after a senior Democrat blasted the Trump administration’s handling of the response effort.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) kicked off the briefing sharply criticizing the administration as disorganized and lacking urgency in combating the coronavirus, lawmakers said. Her speech frustrated Republicans and some Democrats assembled to hear from the slate of officials from the CDC, NIH and State Department.

"If I wanted to hear the politics of it, I'd read POLITICO or something, let's be serious," said Rep. Paul Mitchell (R-Mich.), who was among the walkouts. A handful of Republicans began booing almost immediately after DeLauro raised concerns with the administration’s efforts, according to two people in the room.

DeLauro’s comments were indicative of the growing political tensions around the Trump administration’s handling of the coronavirus response. President Donald Trump, who has publicly tried to downplay the virus through a series of misleading claims, just after midnight took to Twitter to complain that Democrats were pinning the crisis on him.

But at least one Democrat was also irritated by DeLauro's remarks. Rep. Donna Shalala (D-Fla.), who led the health department under President Bill Clinton, said it wasn't the appropriate setting for the criticism.

“No one wanted to hear that, either the Democrats or Republican. We just wanted to hear the substance,” she said.

DeLauro, the leading House health appropriator, accused the administration of a lack of urgency and warned that there were several crucial questions that remained unanswered about the coronavirus response. As lawmakers transferred to a bigger room to accommodate all the attendees, a visibly frustrated DeLauro told colleagues she didn’t “give a rat’s ass” and about the reaction and that members needed answers from the administration.

“I feel that the issue on resources and current expenditures has been less than adequate and that these are some of the questions that we have to get answered,” she told reporters afterward, and her office later released a transcript of her remarks. “I quite frankly don’t worry about people who may have a concern. I just know that the questions are right.”

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https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/28/house-coronavirus-trump-response-118121?fbclid=IwAR0U9-tedY0ZxgNvOVBJsa68LrktUFxr07b6kbFQDq4DZkLXx1N-rkGNhxw

[Iliyah]

1. How silly . . .

They couldn't even be in office.

[NewJeffCT]

2. Go Rep. DeLauro

if Coronavirus starts spreading around the country, I bet those republicans will be a bit more concerned

[Brainfodder]

5. Susan Collins may implode with concern?

Might just be worth the pain and suffering then?



For history, just another blunder?

[gratuitous]

3. "We coulda contained Covid 19, but our feelings got hurted"

Can you imagine the brass of Rep. DeLauro? Wanting information and cold hard facts when it's Donald Trump's ego that's been the real victim in all this!

[Midnight Writer]

4. Republicans walk out of a briefing from their own Republican Administration.

Productive, as usual.

[llmart]

6. Dimwit Paul Mitchell is my rep and he's already said he's not running for reelection.

He's as useless as they come, but he sure likes a "scene".

[Hermit-The-Prog]

7. This sounds familiar ...

Oh, yeah, Republicans get emotional about things:

[VMA131Marine]

8. Rosa deLauro is my Representative

She represents the people in her district very well and I'm so proud of her for doing this. Go Rosa!

[rockfordfile]

9. the GOP is un-American