Connecticut Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal said Thursday that he was “appalled and astonished that we have lost a critical two months” in dealing with the coronavirus situation, but he left out the fact that, while terrifying reports flowed in from China, his own party stressed instead the urgency of impeaching President Donald Trump.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal: “I am appalled and astonished that we have lost a critical two months.” pic.twitter.com/DtnRRvx3Xu
— The Hill (@thehill) March 12, 2020
Responding to a question about the handling of the pandemic thus far, Blumenthal replied, “I am appalled and astonished that we have lost a critical two months. There’s still no plan, no strategy for testing, for ventilators, for the basics required for people to survive.” (RELATED: Coronavirus Mortality Rate Likely Overstated, But Still Far More Deadly Than Flu, Top Expert Tells Lawmakers)
“We’re talking about life and death,” Blumenthal continued. “There is still no plan. I am at a loss, I am simply at a loss.”
Blumenthal went on to say that he didn’t understand how the United States could have gotten to that point — but American Greatness senior contributor Julie Kelly had a suggestion.
“Gee maybe all the time you wasted on impeachment was a bad idea?” Kelly tweeted.
Gee maybe all the time you wasted on impeachment was a bad idea? https://t.co/zmBNkR7Yby
— Julie Kelly (@julie_kelly2) March 12, 2020
House Democrats had already voted to impeach Trump when the World Health Organization first reported strange cases of pneumonia in Wuhan, China, on December 31, 2019. One week later, the virus was identified as a novel coronavirus.
Within one month, while the Senate held Trump’s impeachment trial, the National Institute of Health (NIH) announced that work had begun on a vaccine and the president reached the conclusion that travel from China should be restricted.
Just days before the Senate voted to acquit Trump, the president formed a new task force to address the threat and ordered a temporary ban on travel to the United States from China.
Blumenthal spent most of those days tweeting about the need to remove Trump from office.
This is not complicated: Trump solicited a bribe; the Constitution says he must be removed.
— Richard Blumenthal (@SenBlumenthal) January 30, 2020
As I think back on this impeachment trial, I will remember vividly the bravery of dedicated public servants who had everything to lose & nothing to gain by telling the American people the truth about Donald Trump & his scheme to corruptly use his power for personal benefit. pic.twitter.com/OP8GvKJPge
— Richard Blumenthal (@SenBlumenthal) February 4, 2020
The Connecticut senator’s first tweet mentioning coronavirus was posted on January 28.
I urge HHS to declare a Public Health Emergency so we can ensure that CDC is able to access the additional funding it may need to expedite the development of a vaccine & to prepare to contain any coronavirus outbreak in our country.
— Richard Blumenthal (@SenBlumenthal) January 28, 2020
More recently, Blumenthal has been highly critical of the Trump administration’s inability to provide the necessary tests nationwide — an issue that Dr. Anthony Fauci conceded in his Congressional testimony as “a failing” on behalf of the government.