If you ever wondered why Trump has such disdain for the press, within this newest exposé lies the answer: four members of Congress, after a closed-door February session on the coronavirus and its looming threat to the United States and the world, took it upon themselves to dump stock in anticipation of the calamity ahead. And the press found out.
Let's remember these names:
Senator Richard Burr, Republican of North Carolina and chairman of the Intelligence Committee, Senator Dianne Feinstein, Democrat of California;
Senator James Inhofe, Republican of Oklahoma;
Senator Kelly Loeffler, Republican of Georgia. (FYI: Loeffler is married to Jeffrey Sprecher, chairman of the New York Stock Exchange.)
And since Trump has declared war, let's call this what it is.
U.S. Code, Title 18, Section 2381. Treason
Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.
It's more than insider trading; and more than shrewd stock manipulation. These public servants betrayed their country as surely as if they had sold secrets to a foreign power, and by doing so—by not sharing their knowledge of the danger that lay ahead—endangered the lives of their constituents.
We don't need a kangaroo court, of course. I want due process, but I want the legal system to do its work.
And you dyed-in-the-wool Trump supporters, you don't have to look me in the eye, but look at yourselves in the mirror and claim Trump did not do the same—did not know where we were all headed, did not dump stock in the same manner and convince his family members and friends to do the same. Convince yourselves while you're searching stores for hand-sanitizer and toilet paper and meat that Trump did not lie and dissemble and obfuscate for six weeks or more so that he could make a killing on this plague. This "man" who has always refused to divulge his finances can keep this a secret too, but I'm betting this time it comes out. All the right-leaning judges and packed courts in the world will not keep some whistleblower from making his finances public now, when it's no longer political. It would take a brave patriot to catch a sniveling traitor, but I think it will happen.
Burr, Feinstein, Inhofe, and Loeffler must resign immediately. And there will undoubtedly be more names, and whether they're Democrats or Republicans, they must go. And once it's proven that Trump did the same, he must resign the presidency. The trials for treason should follow in short order. Trump called this a war—let him learn how traitors are treated in wartime.
In the early aftermath Burr had no comment; the others claimed no knowledge of the stock sales. Assuming they all have brokers, it stretches credulity to think a broker would sell off $400,000 (or more) worth of stock, then later call the stockholder and say, "oh by the way...."
Punishing these turncoats will not slow down the spread of the virus, and will not bring back to life all those who have already died or those who will in the weeks and months to come. But in a country that is running very much like a Rube Goldberg contraption, where nurses are sewing masks Florida beaches are closing next Monday(!), it would at least show the possibility of order, and begin to rid ourselves of those who have prevented it from occurring
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