Schumer Scolds Senate Republicans for Launching ‘Fishing Expeditions’ Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Senate Republicans are turning their focus to a series of new investigations into “all things related” to the Russia investigation.

But Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) blasted his colleagues for holding “fishing expeditions” instead of focusing on addressing the coronavirus pandemic. 

“We were sent here to do the nation’s business, at the moment that means helping our constituents through a time of immense challenge and large hardship,” Schumer said during a floor speech on Tuesday.

He continued, “But Senate Republicans are using their committees to hold fishing expeditions dictated by the president’s Twitter feed.”

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Schumer’s comments come a day after Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) announced that he would hold a vote to subpoena a host of current and former officials as part of his investigation of the Russia investigation and alleged “FISA abuse,” as IJR reported. 

Graham’s announcement comes after President Donald Trump has called for investigations into a series of alleged prosecutorial misconduct that he claims was designed to target him and his associates — an allegation he has dubbed “Obamagate.”

Last week, Trump urged Graham to call former President Barack Obama to testify before the Senate about the beginning of the Russia investigation. However, Graham dismissed that idea.

Schumer added on Tuesday, “Last night, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee announced that his committee will soon consider subpoenas related to another conspiracy theory pushed by President Trump.”

He continued, “This time to try to re-write the history of Russian interference in the 2016 election to match the fantasy in President Trump’s head.”

“What does Leader McConnell devote most of his floor remarks to today? That wild conspiracy theory aimed at somehow smearing the fine reputation that President Obama has well deserved,” Schumer continued.

Earlier on Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) vowed that senators would work to “get answers” about alleged abuses committed by members of the Obama administration.

However, instead of investigating what he said are conspiracy theories, Schumer urged his Republican colleagues to act to pass more coronavirus relief measures.

The House recently passed a $3 trillion coronavirus relief measure. But so far, Republicans have shown little interest in passing another massive spending bill. 

Schumer has argued that the country needs “Franklin Rooseveltian-type action.”

He previously said, “This is a crisis. This is not simply you take out a page out of a conservative playbook, conservative economics handbook of 2017.”

“This is new, adopt to the times. Let me say something, when we had the Great Depression, there were people who said let’s sit and do nothing. They didn’t go down in history very well. Franklin Roosevelt did,” Schumer added.