McConnell: Lawsuits against 'brave businesspeople' are 'the second pandemic'

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said he will not allow any coronavirus relief legislation to make it through the Senate unless workers are prevented from suing employers if they get sick on the job.

McConnell previously described such provisions as a “red line” he is unwilling to cross.

On Wednesday, the majority leader spoke with Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade and compared workers’ ability to sue employers to a “second pandemic” that could overwhelm “brave businesspeople” trying to reopen their companies.

From the April 29 edition of Fox News Radio’s “Brian Kilmeade Show”:

BRIAN KILMEADE, host: So, saying you don’t want to pay for people who have fattened their budgets in these states, so, what’s your reaction to that?

 

MITCH MCCONNELL: Well look, there’s no question that all governors regardless of party would like to have more money and I’m open to discussing that, but what [House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is] ignoring is the second pandemic which is going to be lawsuits against doctors, nurses, hospitals —

 

KILMEADE: Yup.

 

MCCONNELL: — and brave businesspeople who are opening up their — all I’m saying is, the recovery’s not just about money, Brian, it’s also about safety and being willing to reengage. We can say that the country’s opening up, but if our people don’t come and businesses are afraid to open because of the lawyers that are lurking on the curbside outside their doors —

 

KILMEADE: Yup.

 

MCCONNELL: — we won’t have the kind of reopening that we want.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.