The total deaths in the United States from COVID-19 totaled well over 1.2 million people.  

Some of the deaths need not have occurred at all.

Why?

First let's define the terms nonfeasance, misfeasance, and malfeasance in office so that we can understand its significance.  

Nonfeasance or dereliction of duty and negligence is the willful failure to execute or perform an act or duty required by one's position or office that results in harm or damage.  

Misfeasance or malpractice is the failure to perform a duty correctly resulting in unintentional harm or damage.  

Malfeasance is the intentional wrongdoing or misconduct and illicit acts resulting in harm or damage.  

If a certain political leader practiced any or all the irresponsible negative acts of nonfeasance, misfeasance, or malfeasance*resulting in insufficient responses to the contagion then that leader would be guilty of causing unnecessary deaths from COVID-19.

The buck stops where?

The argument that the buck should be placed elsewhere, other than the person with effective control is faulty, because then where is the control?  

Who has the responsibility?  

What is official duty?

Thus to have the authority of office and effective control, accountability must go hand in hand with responsibility and duty of that office.

*https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7657019/