Sen. Richard Burr gave well-heeled constituents from the Tar Heel State a dire warning about the kind of chaos the coronavirus could cause at a luncheon in Washington three weeks ago.
The North Carolina Republican, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, is heard on a secret recording obtained by NPR telling members of the Tar Heel Circle on February 27 that the coronavirus was ‘much more aggressive in its transmission than anything that we have seen in recent history.’
‘It is probably more akin to the 1918 pandemic,’ Burr told the business leaders, who pay between $500 and $10,000 for membership of the group, according to NPR’s reporting.
ProPublica also reported that in mid-February Burr told off between $582,029 and $1.56 million of his stock holdings in 29 separate transactions. A week later the stock market started its downward trend, now losing about a third of its value.
The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Sen. Richard Burr, knew of the coming coronavirus crisis three weeks ago and divulged details of the chaos that would ensue to a group of well-heeled constituents
Burr talked to members of the Tar Heel Circle, a group that charges $500 to $10,000 for membership, at the Capitol Hill Club, a private social club for Republicans located steps away from the Capitol Building
At the Capitol Hill Club (pictured), Burr spelled out the anticipated widespread disruptions that would be caused by the coronavirus outbreak, statements he wasn’t making publicly
The luncheon that was taped was held at the Capitol Hill Club, a social club for Republicans located steps away from the Capitol Building.
There, Burr spelled out some of the broad repurcussions of the brewing outbreak.
‘Every company should be cognizant of the fact that you may have to alter your travel. You may have to look at your employees and judge whether the trip they’re making to Europe is essential or whether it can be done on video conference. Why risk it?’ Burr told attendees.
He also previewed school shutdowns.
‘There will be, I’m sure, times that communities, probably some in North Carolina, have a transmission rate where they say, “Let’s close schools for two weeks. Everybody stay home,’ the Republican lawmaker said.
Burr also said the military would be utilized.
‘We’re going to send a military hospital there; it’s going to be in tents and going to be set up on the ground somewhere,’ he said. ‘It’s going to be a decision the president and DOD make. And we’re going to have medical professionals supplemented by local staff to treat the people that need treatment,’ he added.
Burr was not sounding a similar alarm publicly.
And the leader of his party, President Trump, was downplaying the risk the same day.
‘It’s going to disappear. One day, it’s like a miracle. It will disappear,’ Trump said. ‘It could get worse before it gets better. It could maybe go away. We’ll see what happens.’
Three weeks later, Burr’s assessment was right on the money.
A week ago Wednesday, Trump announced that travelers from Europe who were not Americans or U.S. residents would be banned.
On Thursday, the State Department told Americans to come home from abroad now – and to not count on government help.
Schools, colleges and universities across the country have been closed down. And the military is doing its part to deal with the outbreak.
Later on Twitter, Burr blasted NPR saying the lunch was sponsored by the North Carolina State Society. ‘They aren’t “secretive: or “high-dollar donor” organizations.
‘Unfortunately, NPR’s journalistic malpractice has raised concerns that Americans weren’t warned about the significant steps we may have to take to stop the coronavirus threat. That’s not true,’ Burr said.
He pointed to comments Trump made on February 26, when the president said ‘every aspect of our society should be prepared.’ Though Trump used the caveat that the preparations should be made ‘just in case.’
Pointing to the NPR and ProPublica reports, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez – one of the most famous House Democrats – called for Burr’s head.
‘As Intel chairman, @SenatorBurr got private briefings about Coronavirus weeks ago. Burr knew how bad it would be. He told the truth to his wealthy donors, while assuring the public that we were fine. THEN he sold off $1.6 million in stock before the fall,’ Ocasio-Cortez tweeted Thursday. ‘He needs to resign.’