In recent weeks, news regarding lawmakers who had dumped stocks before the rise of the Coronavirus pandemic has dominated the media waves.
This morning Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz (R) took aim at three other lawmakers who are also embroiled in the dilemma, and one of those lawmakers is North Carolina Senator Richard Burr (R).
In a tweet released this morning, Rep. Gaetz took aim at the Republican Senator, arguing that Rep. Adam Schiff (D), House Speaker Pelosi (D) and Senator Burr (R) are now part of the “Gang of 8.” He also called them “three of the lowest integrity people in Congress,” noting that "it is the most dangerous Gang in the world."
The “Gang of 8” now includes @AdamSchiff @SpeakerPelosi and @SenatorBurr - three of the lowest integrity people in Congress.
It is the most dangerous Gang in the world.
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) March 31, 2020
This comes at a time when the Department of Justice has announced that it will be investigating Senator Burr’s stock trades. The investigation will also be coordinated in tandem with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Senator Burr is currently the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
In a statement, Burr’s attorney, Alice Fisher, argued that the law in place allows any American, including lawmakers, to “participate in the stock market based on public information, as Senator Burr did.”
She added that “when this issue arose, Senator Burr immediately asked the Senate Ethics committee to conduct a complete review, and he will cooperate with that review as well as any other appropriate inquiry.”