Daines: “The Chinese Government Aggressively Worked to Contain [Coronavirus]”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, April 20, 2020
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Daines: “The Chinese Government Aggressively Worked to Contain [Coronavirus]”
Already Caught Lying About Coronavirus Relief, Senator Again Misleads Montanans on Record in New Ad
Helena, MT – A new television ad from Senator Steve Daines misleads Montanans about his coronavirus record — the latest lie about what he’s said and done to address the crisis in Montana and across the country. While Daines claims he’s holding China accountable, just a few weeks ago he praised the country on Fox Business, saying “the Chinese government aggressively worked to contain it” and bragged about his own ties to the country: “I spent a lot of time in China back in the 90s, in fact I spent some time living in Guangzhou.”
The praise runs both ways: the Chinese Ambassador to the United States has reportedly referred to Senator Daines as “China’s ambassador in Congress.”
Daines’ quick change of heart comes as Washington is under increasing scrutiny for failing to prepare for the crisis — and Daines is doing his part to point fingers instead of demanding accountability and investigations into PPE shortages, the lack of a national testing plan needed to re-open the economy, and the struggle businesses are having in accessing relief aid.
Daines himself has been misleading Montanans, claiming credit for expanded unemployment benefits he voted against. He also paid nearly $50,000 to a top campaign aide who started a medical supply company to “capitalize on the coronavirus response” and obtained PPE using the “relationships” he made in Washington. Senator Daines refuses to answer questions about his ties to that aide, who he’s paid nearly half a million dollars in just two years.
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