House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff defended Democrats when questioned about controversial additions to the coronavirus relief package that appear to be partisan policy plays by suggesting the party is trying to protect the health of American democracy.
“I think what they’re really focused on is, we want to make sure that we protect not only the health of the economy, but the health of our democracy,” the California Democrat told MSNBC’s Chris Hayes when asked about Democratic additions to the bill not directly related to coronavirus relief.
“And for that reason, we want to make sure that we provide that people can vote by mail and have early voting. We saw the fiasco in Ohio. We don’t want that repeated. And I think what Donald Trump would like, what Mitch McConnell would like, is a situation where they can create a corporate slush fund that they can do with as they choose, and the voters won’t be able to hold them accountable because they won’t be able to get to the ballot places without risking their lives. And so, we view the economic health and the health of our democracy as very much interrelated. They view the health of their slush fund and suppressing the vote as interrelated, and I think that’s part of the conflict.”
Democrats have attempted to include several policy objectives in the currently debated coronavirus stimulus package, including new voting measures, which Schiff referenced, $300 million for migrants and refugees, $35 million for the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, new fuel emission standards, and other additions that House Minority Whip Rep. Steve Scalise described as a “socialist wish list.”
“This is a tremendous opportunity to restructure things to fit our vision,” House Majority Whip Rep. James Clyburn reportedly told his fellow Democrats about the coronavirus relief package.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday that lawmakers are on the “5-yard line,” and a bill is expected to be agreed on today.
