Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) announced that he has been targeted by China in a $50 billion lawsuit for speaking out against the country during the COVID-19 pandemic. The lawsuit, described as the “first-of-its-kind” by Schmitt’s office, targets the senator and Missouri for “standing up against China in 2020 for unleashing and worsening the COVID-19 pandemic by hoarding personal protective equipment.”
Earlier this year, the State of Missouri secured a $24 billion judgment against China, the Chinese Communist Party, and entities linked to the pandemic.
“I’ve been banned from Communist China, and now I am being sued and targeted by Communist China in a $50 Billion lawfare campaign, and I’ll wear it like a badge of honor. China’s sinister malfeasance during the COVID-19 pandemic led to over a million Americans losing their lives, economic turmoil that rocked our country for years, and an enormous amount of human suffering, and as Missouri Attorney General I filed suit to hold them accountable,” Schmitt said in a statement. “Instead of trying to defend its indefensible behavior, Communist China responded with frivolous lawfare, attempting to absolve themselves of all wrongdoing in the early days of the pandemic.”
“This novel lawsuit is factually baseless, legally meritless, and any fake judgment a Chinese court issues in this lawsuit we will easily beat back and keep from being enforced against the people of Missouri or me,” he continued. “This is their way of distracting from what the world already knows, China has blood on its hands. China lied about the origins of COVID virus, they tried to cover it up, and they upended the world by creating a global pandemic that resulted in immense human loss. The responsibility lies squarely at their feet. No amount of CCP choreographed lawfare will deter me from standing up for Missourians and the American people.”
The lawsuit claims that China has “always acted with openness, transparency, and responsibility.” China also claims it “sent updates on the pandemic to the international community at the earliest time possible, and called for fighting COVID-19 through solidarity and cooperation with the international community.” The country demands that the defendants “issue public apologies on New York Times, CNN, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, YouTube and other American media or internet platforms, and People’s Daily, Xinhuanet and other Chinese media or internet platforms.”
