In Georgia, Ossoff attacks Perdue as senator skips debate

ATLANTA — Democratic Senate challenger Jon Ossoff debated an empty podium Sunday, hammering Georgia Sen. David Perdue as a “coward” for skipping the pair’s lone scheduled debate ahead of twin Jan. 5 runoffs that will determine which party controls the Senate at the start of Democrat Joe Biden’s presidency.

Ossoff suggested Perdue, the first-term Republican whose prolific stock trading has drawn attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, left his podium vacant because he didn’t want to “incriminate himself” over his personal financial activities that the challenger summed up as “cartoonish abuse of power.”

“It shows an astonishing arrogance and sense of entitlement for Georgia’s senior U.S. senator to believe he shouldn’t have to debate at a moment like this in our history,” Ossoff said, criticizing Perdue for avoiding the debate as the coronavirus pandemic rages and Congress continues to be at loggerheads over a new round of economic relief.

Ossoff’s one-man show was the undercard for the evening. Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler and Democratic challenger Raphael Warnock were scheduled later Sunday evening. Republicans need to retain one of the seats to keep their Senate majority and stymie the Biden administration. Democrats must sweep to position Vice President-elect Kamala Harris as the Senate’s tiebreaking vote.

President Trump came to the state Saturday to campaign with both Republican senators in Valdosta. Vice President Mike Pence appeared the day before in Savannah, as former President Barack Obama headlined a virtual rally for Democrats.

Republicans have embraced the national consequences, framing Ossoff and Warnock as harbingers of a so-called socialist takeover of Washington. Neither are socialists but the GOP wants to stoke its base for a second round of voting with the fear of Democrats controlling both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue.

Beyond the national stakes, Ossoff has zeroed in on Perdue’s financial activities. Multiple reports have detailed key trades Perdue made after members of Congress began receiving classified briefings about COVID-19 but while Perdue and other officials were downplaying its dangers in public.

Perdue’s trades also involved companies whose business activities fall under jurisdiction of some of the senator’s committees.

Ossoff brushed aside a moderator’s reminder that Senate ethics officials and the Department of Justice have not found any legal wrongdoing on Perdue’s part.

“His blatant abuse of his power and privilege to enrich himself is disgraceful,” Ossoff said. “He can’t defend the indefensible. … The standard for our elected officials must be higher than merely evading prosecution.”

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/2VM70UA