North Carolina Republican Senator Richard Burr is facing backlash over a pair of recent disclosures. First, at a private event, he offered predictions about the coronavirus that were starker than those he had previously made in public. He also conducted dozens of stock transactions selling hundreds of thousands of dollars in shares one week before the market's steep selloff.
At a private event, Burr offered predictions about the coronavirus that were starker than those he had previously made in public. Then, the senator sold up to roughly $1.7 million worth of stock about a week before the market's steep decline. In response to the backlash, Burr has called for the Senate Ethics Committee to review the matter.
Catawba College Political Scientist Michael Bitzer says making the case that his stock transactions were coincidental may be difficult for Burr given his daily briefings. Bitzer says what's less known is what happens next.
"Do future news stories about the virus kind of push this off the radar for most Americans?" says Bitzer. "Or is it connected so closely to the coronavirus issue that people still see the connection and are focused on this particular news story?"
Bitzer says if the senator is removed from office, the Republican party will put forth three names to Democratic Governor Roy Cooper who would, in turn, pick from those names to fill the vacancy. That vacancy must arise at least 60 days prior to November's election.