Republicans

“First let me say that I was among many who advised the president to listen more closely to the excellent medical advisers that he has like Dr. Fauci and like Dr. Deborah Birx, and he has been doing that lately. “And I think his daily press briefings have been far more helpful to the American people and that he has …

The Daily Beast reports: Two weeks after calling on Senate Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr (R-NC) to resign if he couldn’t explain his suspicious stock dumps, Fox News host Tucker Carlson said Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) must leave office if it is revealed she knew in advance about stock trades her financial advisers made. Last month, after news broke that Burr …

The right wing National Review reports: Senator Martha McSally on Thursday called on the director of the World Health Organization to step down, saying the organization covered up the extent of the spread of the coronavirus, which originated in China. The Arizona Republican called WHO director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus a “communist” and accused him of helping China conceal its underreporting …

The Tampa Bay Times reports: Hours after Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a statewide stay-at-home order Wednesday, he quietly signed a second order to override restrictions put in place by local governments to halt the spread of coronavirus. The second order states that new state guidelines that take effect Friday morning “shall supersede any conflicting official action or order issued by …

The New York Times reports: President Trump’s campaign is demanding that Jeff Sessions, the former Attorney General, stop attaching himself to the president in his effort to win back his old Senate seat in Alabama, after Mr. Sessions distributed a campaign mailer that mentioned the president 22 times. In an unusual letter to the Sessions campaign, which was obtained by …

Newsweek reports: Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said he wasn’t aware that asymptomatic people could transmit coronavirus as he announced he was preparing to issue a state-wide shelter-in-place order. Kemp had resisted imposing tougher measures to tackle the pandemic, but on Wednesday he joined other Republican governors including the leaders of Florida and Mississippi in announcing he would sign a stay-at-home …

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports: Gov. Brian Kemp on Wednesday said he is preparing a statewide shelter-in-place order across Georgia to try to curb the spread of the coronavirus, a turnabout after weeks of balking at taking more drastic steps to combat the pandemic. The new rules, which he will issue Thursday, are set to run from Friday through April 13. …

CNN reports: Gov. Ron DeSantis said Wednesday his state was willing to accept Floridians on board a cruise ship seeking to disembark in Florida after more than 190 guests and crew reported flu-like symptoms, including eight passengers who tested positive for Covid-19. But DeSantis expressed concerns about taking in others given the state’s limited hospital beds. “We are going to …

Biloxi’s ABC News affiliate reports: Governor Tate Reeves has signed a new executive order establishing a statewide shelter-in-place for Mississippi to slow the spread of COVID-19. Tuesday, a number of cities across the state issued their own orders asking residents to stay at home, and establishing curfews for overnight hours. Wednesday, the Mississippi Department of Health reported 1,073 confirmed cases …

Orlando’s ABC News affiliate reports: After days of mounting pressure as the coronavirus spreads in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis Wednesday issued an executive order asking people to stay at home across the state. Across Florida, the state health department reports nearly 7,000 cases of COVID-19 as of noon Wednesday, with more than 900 people hospitalized and 87 deaths. About 900 …

The Atlantic Journal-Constitution reports: U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler’s most recent financial disclosures show that millions of dollars in stocks were sold on her behalf at the same time Congress was dealing with the impact of the coronavirus. The largest transactions — and the most politically problematic — involve $18.7 million in sales of Intercontinental Exchange stock in three separate deals …

Mediaite reports: Congressman Devin Nunes (R-CA) stated that it is “overkill” for schools in his home state of Califonia to be closed in light of the coronavirus pandemic on Laura Ingraham‘s Fox News program late Tuesday night – further downplaying the severity of COVID-19. “The schools were canceled here in California, which is way overkill. It’s possible kids could’ve went …

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’ …