AGs in 14 states to Trump: Let's hold China accountable

 Republican attorneys general in 14 states asked President Donald Trump on Wednesday to form a state-federal partnership to hold China accountable for dams caused by spre of new coronavirus.

letter to president says “ Chinese communist government” may have

“ spre of COVID-19 has grievously harmed each of our States. Many of our citizens have suffered and died from this virus. Our ecomies have been effectively shut down. Businesses, big and small, have been devastated to point that many will t reopen,” letter said.

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson are taking le on coalition. letter is also signed by attorneys general in Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Montana. Nebraska, Oklahoma, Tennessee and West Virginia.

While coalition is me up of Republicans, Moody said in a phone interview that she wants to d more attorneys generals, including Democrats, as part of an effort to make China pay in some way for pandemic.

“I don't see this as a partisan issue. Holding a country accountable for misinformation or lack of action that could have mitigated spre of this devastating virus is something of concern to all of us regardless of party,” she said. “Seeking dams is of concern to all of us.”

letter is part of a growing call among state elected officials pointing blame at China for ecomic loss and deaths caused by coronavirus, joining dozens of patients and businesses looking to sue China over outbreak that has killed more than 83,000 people in United States.

Trump is clearly t happy with China's role in spre of virus. While t a response to attorneys general letter, he criticized country on Twitter on Wednesday, saying virus began spreing just after U.S. and China reached a tre deal.

“ ink was barely dry, and World was hit by Plague from China. 100 Tre Deals wouldn’t make up difference - and all those incent lives lost!,” Trump

Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis began calling for China to be held accountable in March, saying, “How Americans view m will never be same. y’ve never been terribly popular as a country here, but I think that we have got to hold China accountable."

Since n, he has almost weekly criticized China and called for less U.S. reliance on country for goods, particularly medical equipment.

Moody said attorneys generals are examining state and federal laws to determine best course of action against China and wher steps need to be modified to be more successful in ir pursuit of accountability.

“What is mechanism that we may utilize based on facts that we have and based on laws that exist or as y are modified ... that we could see success at true accountability from China?” Moody said.

letter to Trump says state and federal governments need to look at legal, ecomic, diplomatic and security measures that could be taken against China.

“This will allow us to share information and resources and ensure that any remedy sought takes into consideration our legal capabilities and devastating impact virus has h on our States,” it said.

China informed World Health Organization of outbreak on Dec. 31 of last year. It contacted U.S. Centers for Disease Control on Jan. 3 and publicly identified pathogen as a vel coronavirus on Jan. 8.

Chinese officials muffled doctors who warned about virus early on and repeatedly downplayed threat of outbreak. However, many of Chinese government’s missteps appear to have been due to bureaucratic hurdles, tight controls on information and officials hesitant to report b news.