Republicans

Politico reports: Sen. Rick Scott on Tuesday called for a congressional investigation into the World Health Organization, suggesting the U.S. should cut off its funding for “helping Communist China cover up” the full extent of the coronavirus pandemic. The Florida Republican, a noted China hawk, has long raised concerns about the WHO’s relationship with Beijing, which has undercounted the number …

The Hill reports: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday blamed the Democrats’ push to impeach President Trump in January for distracting the Trump administration from the threat posed by the coronavirus. “It came up while we were tied down in the impeachment trial. And I think it diverted the attention of the government because everything every day was …

Business Insider reports: Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin called to reopen parts of the American economy to avoid throwing it into a recession or depression. He said “death is an unavoidable part of life” in a USA Today op-ed published Monday. Though Johnson didn’t advocate to fully start up the economy, he said the crisis should be put into …

CNN reports: The Justice Department has started to probe a series of stock transactions made by lawmakers ahead of the sharp market downturn stemming from the spread of coronavirus, according to two people familiar with the matter. The inquiry, which is still in its early stages and being done in coordination with the Securities and Exchange Commission, has so far …

The Texas Tribune reports: Gun stores are essential business and should be allowed to remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said today. Paxton said in his nonbinding opinion that state law prevents cities and counties from “adopting regulations related to the transfer, possession, or ownership of firearms, or commerce in firearms.” In a radio interview …

The Oklahoman reports: Former U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, a physician who became a powerful force in Congress on fiscal matters, died early Saturday morning after a long fight with prostate cancer. He was 72. Coburn, of Muskogee, served in the Senate from 2005 to 2015 and in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2001. After leaving the Senate, …

Just in via press release: Earlier, this week, U.S. Representative Mike Kelly began experiencing flu-like symptoms and consulted his doctor, who ordered a test for COVID-19. His test came back positive this afternoon. From his home in Butler, Pennsylvania, Representative Kelly issued this statement: “When I started experiencing mild flu-like symptoms earlier this week, I consulted my primary care physician. …

MarketWatch reports: Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky said Friday in a series of tweets that he would make a move that looks likely to delay the House’s vote on a huge coronavirus stimulus package. He said he “will request a vote on the CARES Act which means members of Congress will vote on it by pushing ‘yes’ or ‘no’ …

NBC News reports: Democratic and Republican leaders were scrambling members of Congress back to Washington late Thursday because they suddenly believe the $2 trillion economic relief package might not pass by the voice vote planned for Friday and could be delayed if at least 216 members don’t show up to vote on the floor. Members are now racing to get …

From the editorial board of the Charlotte Observer: Seven days have passed since news reports revealed how U.S. Sen Richard Burr profited off the coronavirus while failing to warn his constituents at the early, critical stages of the crisis. It has not been a good week. Burr has been abandoned by fellow Republicans, some of whom have called for his …

The Lexington Courier-Journal reports: A Congressman from Kentucky plans to vote “no” on the $2 trillion coronavirus relief package, which the Senate passed 96-0 Wednesday evening. U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican who represents Kentucky’s 4th District, also hinted that he might object to a voice vote in the House of Representatives, which would force all members to return to …

The Missoulian reports: A mystery of the 2020 election was solved Tuesday as it became clear the Montana Republican Party paid for an effort to qualify the Montana Green Party for the ballot this election. Earlier this year paid petitioners appeared in Montana’s larger cities gathering signatures to qualify the Greens to run candidates this cycle, even though the Montana …

The Associated Press reports: North Dakota Sen. Kevin Cramer apologized Wednesday for a late-night tweet in which he used an offensive term to describe House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Cramer blamed autocorrect for the tweet, which he deleted soon after posting it Tuesday evening. The Republican senator was responding to a video clip on Twitter in which Pelosi, D-Calif., was being …

Mediaite reports: Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) pledged “a reckoning” Wednesday morning on Fox & Friends after China according to the GOP senator “unleashed” the coronavirus on the world. Cotton commented on his growing frustration that “things like antibiotics and ibuprofen and Advil are made in China for the most part.” “It’s time to bring a lot more back to the …

The Salt Lake Tribune reports: When he learned that a fellow senator had tested positive for COVID-19, Sen. Mitt Romney left the Capitol and ordered up a charter flight home to Utah. Sen. Mike Lee hitched a ride. Romney sat next to Rand Paul at lunch Thursday and had an extended chat Friday; Lee and Paul are close friends in …

The Jackson Free Press reports: “It is my goal to make sure we make good, solid decisions based on experts,” the governor said in an afternoon Facebook Live address, where he took questions from Mississippi residents. “No one at the State Department of Health has recommended that we have a statewide shelter-in-place order,” Reeves added. One Mississippian asked the governor …

Just in from Public Policy Polling: PPP’s newest North Carolina poll finds that a majority of North Carolinians think Richard Burr should resign, and that his approval numbers have plummeted since revelations last week about his stock sales in the wake of the coronavirus. 50% of voters in the state think Burr should resign to 24% who think he should …

The Hill reports: Texas Lt. Gov Dan Patrick (R) on Monday said that he is willing to take a chance on his survival as a senior citizen for the good of the country’s economy amid the virus outbreak and added that thinks “there are lots of grandparents out there in this country” who feel the same way. “No one reached …

Orlando’s NBC News affiliate reports: Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday that he will sign an executive order that will force anyone who travels from New York or New Jersey to Florida to self-isolate for two weeks immediately after they land in the state. While speaking Monday about whether he will lock down the state of Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis said …

Axios reports: Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) tweeted Monday that he is basing his decisions for coronavirus policy on information from “health care professionals like Dr. Fauci and others, not political punditry.” In an apparent public rebuke, Graham added a link to a Washington Post article about the Trump administration’s signals that it might move to loosen restrictions on businesses at …