There Should be a Special Place in Hell for People who Price Gouge during a Pandemic

According to reporting by AZ Central, police and fire departments throughout the cities and towns in Maricopa County have been “waiting for days on N95 face masks and other protective gear.”

While the wait is unbearable, what is potentially criminal is that the vendor supplying these masks and protective gear, called Galls, has reportedly marked the price of these items 500 percent.

Arizona House Representatives Ruben Gallego and Greg Stanton have sent a letter to the Attorney General and Federal Trade Commission Office to protest Gall’s price gouging and call for a criminal investigation into the matter.

In the letter, shared by television journalist and commentator Brahm Resnik on social media, the Representatives wrote:

“……We have learned that a vendor who regularly supplies the City of Phoenix Fire and Police Departments with life-saving medical supplies is attempting to charge the city nearly 600 percent more per N95 mask than the city was charged for the same equipment as recently as two weeks ago. This is price gouging, plain and simple, and we respectfully request the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission open investigations immediately. In addition, this vendor is requiring significant pre-payment for the masks rather than the standard practice of billing upon receipt which leaves our first responders at further risk – and unable to turn to a different vendor – if the equipment is not delivered on time…. We understand that some departments are days or weeks away from running out of much-needed personal protective equipment. Profiting from the coronavirus pandemic – especially in a manner that places our first responders in harm’s way – is morally indefensible, and we commend the President for recently issuing an Executive Order to combat price gouging. We respectfully encourage your prompt attention to this matter and for your agencies to deliver justice for our first responder.”

There Should be a Special Place in Hell for People who Price Gouge during a Pandemic.

The first responders are the people who risk their lives to save others every day.

No one should take advantage of them or the people they serve during a public health emergency.

The people who are perpetrating this scam on the people of Arizona belong in prison.

The 2016 Popular Vote Loser bears some responsibility for this as well.

While Mr. Trump has issued the Executive Order to combat price gouging, this behavior, along with other vendors launching a, what New York Governor Andrew Cuomo calls an “E Bay” bidding war among states in need, would not be occurring if the President of the United States fully invoked the Defense Production Act.

He should have formalized that weeks ago and it needs to be done without delay.

The American People should not be at the mercy of avaricious war profiteers.

They will remember who allowed it if nothing is done in 216 days.

https://blogforarizona.net/there-should-be-a-special-place-in-hell-for-people-who-price-gouge-during-a-pandemic/?fbclid=IwAR1XsjJW9YWLJNgPUpk0hENLGPui76wsO1l31Fb4kQfdgq4X-EJvDQpowAI