May, 14 2020, 12:00am EDT
Burr Must Be Completely Removed From the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
WASHINGTON
Today, Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) announced he is temporarily stepping down as chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in the wake of reports he sold off stocks after receiving non-public information regarding COVID-19. Yesterday, the FBI served Burr a warrant and seized his cell phone as part of an investigation into the sales.
In March, Demand Progress organized a coalition letter--joined by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), Defending Rights & Dissent, Free Press Action, National Security Counselors, Project on Government Oversight, Protect Democracy, Public Citizen, RootsAction.org, and X-Lab--calling on Majority Leader McConnell to remove Burr from the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
ProPublica reported on Burr's stock sales earlier this year, and POLITICO reported on a disturbingly similar incident in 2008.
In the midst of these developments, Demand Progress is calling for further action in the form of Burr's complete removal from the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. The following statement can be attributed to Daniel Schuman, policy director for Demand Progress:
"There is reason to believe that Richard Burr used his unique access to sensitive information for personal financial gain, and has engaged in a pattern of doing so. Such behavior would constitute an egregious abuse of his power and a lack of fitness to serve in the Senate.
"Because of the storm clouds around Sen. Burr, not only should he no longer serve as chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, but he should not serve on that committee unless all the concerns are fully and completely dispelled. Sen. McConnell should remove him from the committee until his actions are fully and publicly investigated."
Demand Progress amplifies the voice of the people -- and wields it to make government accountable and contest concentrated corporate power. Our mission is to protect the democratic character of the internet -- and wield it to contest concentrated corporate power and hold government accountable.
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