CNN's Cuomo tears into McConnell for demanding COVID relief strip workers of legal rights
On CNN Tuesday, Chris Cuomo tore into Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) for holding up COVID relief talks over the demand that the bill include "liability protections" that would make it nearly impossible for workers to sue over negligent exposure to the virus.
"There's no good reason for this delay. It's time to focus on it," said Cuomo. "Has anyone heard of the flood of lawsuits that are hitting businesses so hard that we have to address it right now, with equal urgency as hunger, vaccine production, or any family pain? Well, Mitch McConnell has an interest and he is arguing for exactly that."
"Be very clear. McConnell is talking about 1400 or so suits since March," said Cuomo. "They are against employers for work-related illness regarding the COVID. He says these suits are such a threat, such an emergency, that they are worth holding up relief until there's a deal to hold these employers harmless from liability. So those companies getting relief matter as much as anything else? Forget the fact that some of the suits may be justified, maybe many of them, maybe all of them, or that people may have been mistreated, or that there's something called worker's compensation and other tools that are already in place to limit liability. Or the fact that litigation is how we figure out problems. Or, that you could address the problem of a massive number of suits, not 1400, when they really pile up."
"You know what's piling up? 60 million," continued Cuomo. "We are close to that number of people who are hungry. Kids that need food. Schools that are desperate. Vaccines that need to be produced. Families who won't have Christmas ... these families needed help weeks ago. Months ago."
"But look at McConnell, because this is about him, and his visage betrays his demeanor," said Cuomo. "He always has the face on. He is about the goal. There's no shame in his game. There's never a trace of humanity or of concern. He is a pro's pro. He does not care about the cost to anybody else. Lie about the Garland nomination and then stack the Court. There's no principal, only priorities. And he will let the pain pour down on this country because he has. It's not speculative. If he doesn't get this protection, no deal. He says and does what he has to."
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