David Corn: Adam Schiff: Why We Need a Coronavirus Commission to Investigate What Went Wrong

[babylonsister]

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2020/04/adam-schiff-why-we-need-a-coronavirus-commission-to-investigate-what-went-wrong/

2 hours ago
Adam Schiff: Why We Need a Coronavirus Commission to Investigate What Went Wrong
He also jabs at Republicans who asked during impeachment how much damage Trump could do before the election.
David Corn
Washington, DC, Bureau ChiefBio | Follow


On April 8, President Trump posted one of his routinely outrageous tweets: “Once we OPEN UP OUR GREAT COUNTRY, and it will be sooner rather than later, the horror of the Invisible Enemy, except for those that sadly lost a family member or friend, must be quickly forgotten.” Quickly forgotten. As in no looking backward, no finger-pointing over why his administration’s response was lackadaisical and inept—and likely led to the deaths of thousands of Americans who might have otherwise survived. Nothing to see. Keep moving.

But not so fast, said Rep. Adam Schiff, chair of the House Intelligence Committee. Two days later, he and several Democratic colleagues in the House introduced a bill to set up a bipartisan commission—based on the 9/11 Commission—to investigate the US government’s preparation (or lack thereof) for the coronavirus attack and the steps and missteps the Trump administration took in reacting to the pandemic. And Senate Democrats are proceeding with a similar bill in their chamber. So a political clash may be coming: Will there be any accountability for Trump’s actions (and inactions) during this crisis?

“The American people really have a right to know and a need to know why we were caught so flat-footed by this virus. Why we didn’t have the ventilators we should have had, why we didn’t have the stockpiles of protective gear, why it took this country, which leads in sciences, so much longer to develop a test and distribute it than other countries.”

In an interview with Mother Jones, Schiff explained why such an investigation is needed and why the battle to remember and learn is crucial. Asked whether that Trump tweet signaled that the president and the Republicans will push a let’s-forget-and-move-on message if the pandemic subsides, Schiff replied, “I wouldn’t be surprised. No matter what the result or the extent of the loss of life, you can bet the president is going to talk about his response being the perfect response to this pandemic. But nonetheless, no, this is not going to be forgotten. If we were to forget it, we could pretty well be guaranteed a repeat of this when the next coronavirus comes along.”

snip//

During the House impeachment hearings, Schiff maintained, House Republicans didn’t recognize or pay attention to the core facts of the scandal and instead raised tangential matters. But in the Senate, he found a different attitude among the Republicans: “The senators still had an appreciation for truth and fact and they may lack the courage and indeed did lack the courage to act on it. But at least they acknowledged the truth of the president’s misconduct, and I have to say I found that refreshing. Also, I think what Mitt Romney did [by voting for impeachment] and the courage he showed really validated the founder’s belief that people possess sufficient virtue to be self-governing. It wasn’t a majority in the Senate, but nonetheless I ended up leaving the trial uplifted, even as I think those who voted against removing the president, convicting the president, will, as I mentioned during the trial, be tied to him with a cord of steel and for the rest of history. They will not be treated well by history for that abdication of their constitutional duty.”

Schiff also took a jab at those Republicans who during the Trump impeachment and trial argued there was no need to remove Trump from office so close to an election, even if he had acted corruptly. “It was,” Schiff said, “a sort of an undercurrent among the Republicans: ‘Well, how much damage could he really do? Can’t we just wait until the election?’ And our answer was, ‘A lot.’ Frankly, we had no idea just how much damage he would do in the months ahead and how many Americans would lose their lives as a result…Little did we know how prescient this would be.”

[dalton99a]

1. Trump's depravity and corruption must be recorded.

[SheltieLover]

2. He & coconspirators must be held to account!

I Schiff!

[abqtommy]

3. What went wrong in three words: tRUMP, reTHUGS, cultists...

[Baitball Blogger]

4. When Biden gets into office, he better not let Trump get off the hook, the way

that Obama let Bush get off the hook. WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO KNOW WHAT WENT WRONG!

[young_at_heart]

5. The Republicans stay silent!

My senators, Burr and Tillis, are just sitting in their offices, doing absolutely NOTHING!

[tikka]

6. What accountability is possible?

Nothing will happen before the election. If a commission is created after the election, then what? The obvious findings will be that Traitor45 is responsible for thousands of unnecessary deaths. The delays, mismanagement, corruption, and politicalization are blatantly obvious. Aside from establishing the fact that Traitor45 is responsible, what accountability is possible? Are they going to jail him for crime against humanity?

If Traitor45 is re-elected and the Senate remains in Republican hands, impeachment isn't a reality. If he's not re-elected, he walks unless they can prove corruption charges. He will lie, spin, and blame others if the commission report blames him.