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Another impeachment attempt? House Dems plan Trump coronavirus investigation

'Democrats clearly have no idea what kind of anger this could unleash.'
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Doug
Mainwaring
Doug Mainwaring

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 3, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – News erupted in the nation’s capital late Thursday that Democrats in Congress now plan to launch a wide-ranging investigation into the Trump Administration’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.  

Conservative D.C. observers were quick to point out that this looks like nothing more than another attempt to impeach the president of the United States, following a long series of failed efforts by Democrats in Congress which began as soon as Donald J. Trump took his seat in the Oval Office. 

“Committee focus [is] supposed to be on spending of stimulus funds,” wrote Washington commentator Don Surber at Legal Insurrection, but it “has broad enough scope and subpoena power to turn into another impeachment-style fiasco in the middle of a national crisis.”

“Americans are dying, losing their family members and friends, and facing economic ruin,” continued Surber. “Trump-obsessed Democrats see nothing but a new opening to investigate Trump. This is all they care about. This is all they will ever care about.”

“Democrats clearly have no idea what kind of anger this could unleash,” he added.

“Speaker Pelosi announces new House Select Committee on the Coronavirus Crisis, chaired by Rep. Clyburn,” tweeted the Washington Examiner’s Byron York. 

“Question: How much of its activities will be legitimate oversight of $2T in spending, and how much will be [an] extension of House Dems' get-Trump campaign?” wondered York.

“The team is back in action,” announced York in a commentary for the Washington Examiner.  

“Less than three months after sending to the Senate impeachment articles to remove the president from office and less than two months after the Senate trial ended in Trump's acquittal, the Pelosi-Schiff team is up and running again,” noted York. 

In a “Dear Colleague” letter which doubled as a press release, Pelosi “gave Democrats room to go after Trump for whatever reason they choose,” according to York. 

He continued:

“The committee will be empowered to examine all aspects of the federal response to the coronavirus,” she wrote. Among those powers, she added, will be the ability to “press to ensure that the federal response is based on the best possible science and guided by the nation's best health experts.” 

That could mean just about anything.

Republicans are wary of watching Pelosi and Schiff — he told the Post his committee is already examining virus warnings the Intelligence Community reportedly gave the White House — resume their efforts to target the president.

York concluded:

Some House Democrats have been engaged in a long campaign to remove the president from office, using whatever weapon — Russia, Stormy Daniels, Ukraine, Michael Cohen, emoluments, whatever — might be available at the moment. Now, the United States is in the midst of a terrible, life-and-death crisis with the virus and its health and economic effects, and the investigation machine is revving up once more.

“It's the same old, same old,” said Rep. Jim Jordan, ranking Republican on the House Judiciary Committee. “They never miss a beat to get political and go after the president.”

“Democrats,” said Sean Hannity, “in the middle of a national emergency, want to launch endless partisan witch hunts, right now, instead of helping their fellow Americans in their hour of need.”

“With respect to the Democrats investigating the coronavirus, that would be like Jack the Ripper investigating the failures of the London police force” quipped national radio show host, legal expert, and author Mark Levin. 

“The fact is that Adam Schiff, who is chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, was running an impeachment coup for months,” said Levin.  

Schiff “should have been on top of the China matter, he should have been on top of the virus matter,” said Levin, “so I want to know what Adam Schiff knew and when he knew it.”  

“This guy is a disgrace,” continued Levin. “He’s a reprobate and he should stop giving aid and comfort to the enemy. First it was Russia, now it’s China.”  

Vindicated: ‘Coronavirus impeachment scam’

Trish Regan, a Fox Business News host who was forced to part ways with the network after declaring on March 9 that there is a “coronavirus impeachment scam” by Democrats in the works, has seemingly been vindicated for her remarks.     

“The chorus of hate being leveled at the President is nearing a crescendo as Democrats blame him, and only him, for a virus that originated halfway around the world,” began Regan. 

“This is yet another attempt to impeach the president, and sadly it seems they care very little for any of the destruction they are leaving in their wake,” said Regan. “All this, unfortunately, just part of the political casualties for them.”

“This is a time to be united, not to be pointing fingers, not to be encouraging hate, and yet what do we see?” asked Regan. “We see the absolute opposite from the left tonight.”  

 She continued:

The hate is boiling over: Many in the liberal media using ––and I mean using–– the coronavirus in an attempt to demonize and destroy the President.  

This is impeachment all over again, and like the Mueller investigation, like with Ukrainegate, they don’t care who they hurt, whether it be their need to create mass hysteria to encourage a market sell-off, or whether it be to create mass-hysteria to stop our economy dead in its tracks, don’t kid yourself:  they told us how much they crave a recession as a way to get rid of Donald Trump.  

Here is the full text of Speaker Pelosi’s April 2 press release, headlined, “Dear Colleague to All Members Announcing House Select Committee on the Coronavirus Crisis.” 

Dear Colleague,

The greatness of our nation is its ability to rise to extraordinary challenges, no matter how big.  Now is such a time.  We face a deadly virus and a battered economy with millions of Americans suddenly out of work.  Congress has taken an important step in meeting this crisis by passing three bills with over $2 trillion dollars in emergency relief.  We need to ensure those tax dollars are spent carefully and effectively.  

Our country faced a similar challenge eighty years ago in the beginning days of World War II.  Billions of dollars were going to be spent quickly to defeat a global menace.  

Then-Senator Harry Truman immediately recognized the urgency of oversight and accountability in making sure the money did what it was supposed to do.  The Senate agreed and put Senator Truman in charge of a Special Committee to Investigate the National Defense Program.

Years later, President Truman looked back at the time and summarized his view: “I knew that after the First World War there’d been a hundred and sixteen investigating committees after the fact, and I felt that one committee before the fact would prevent a lot of waste and maybe even save some lives, and that’s the way it worked out.”

President Truman couldn’t have been more right.  The Truman Committee turned into a tremendous investment for taxpayers.  Its total cost was less than $1 million dollars and it saved lives and nearly $15 billion by preventing fraud, waste and abuse.

What made sense then makes even more sense now.  In the coming months, over $2 trillion will be spent on this rescue effort.  

That is why, I am announcing the formation of a special bipartisan oversight panel: the House Select Committee on the Coronavirus Crisis, to be chaired by Majority Whip Jim Clyburn.  Its purpose is to ensure that the over $2 trillion that Congress has dedicated to this battle – and any additional funds Congress provides in future legislation – are spent wisely and effectively.  

We have no higher priority than making sure the money gets to those working families – struggling to pay rent and put food on the table – who need it most.  The panel will root out waste, fraud, and abuse.  It will protect against price gouging and profiteering.  It will press to ensure that the federal response is based on the best possible science and guided by the nation’s best health experts.  

The House Select Committee on the Coronavirus Crisis will be bipartisan and have an expert staff.  The committee will be empowered to examine all aspects of the federal response to the coronavirus to ensure that taxpayer dollars are being wisely and efficiently spent to save lives, deliver relief and benefit our economy. 

Thank you for your concern for the American people.