[NFA] Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden accused President Donald Trump on Wednesday of betraying the American people, saying he knowingly lied about the deadliness of the novel coronavirus in what amounted to a "dereliction" of his duty.
This report produced by Chris Dignam.
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden made a campaign stop in the battleground state of Michigan on Wednesday to outline his plan to prevent U.S. jobs from moving overseas.
But the former VP began his speech by going after President Donald Trump, after newly released recordings revealed he played down the deadliness of the coronavirus because he did not want to create a panic.
BIDEN: "We just learned from The Washington Post columnist Bob Woodward that the President of the United States has admitted on tape in February he knew about COVID-19 - that it passed through the air.
He knew how deadly it was.
It was much more deadly than the flu.
He knew, and purposely played it down.
Worse, he lied to the American people.
He knowingly and willingly lied about the threat posed to the country for months... he failed to do his job on purpose." Biden made the remarks in the Detroit suburb of Warren, a U.S. auto industry hub, where he proposed and "offshoring tax penalty" for companies that move U.S. jobs overseas.
The former vice president's plan also said he would offer tax credits to companies that reopen closed or closing facilities and bring back offshored jobs.
BIDEN: "...a 10% advanceable tax credit for companies that invest in the United States and American workers." The campaign event comes as Biden and Trump ramp up travel to several battleground states in the final sprint to the election.
TRUMP: "Joe Biden's agenda is made in China.
My agenda is made in the U.S.A." At a campaign rally in North Carolina on Tuesday, Trump accused Biden without evidence of supporting the offshoring of American jobs overseas and asserted the economy would suffer if Biden is elected president.
Joe Biden accused Trump of "a life-and-death betrayal of the American people".
Biden pointed to Trump's recorded February..