House GOP seeks details on Fauci’s CIA visit amid COVID-19 origins probe.
Republicans Demand Information on Alleged Fauci Visit to CIA During COVID-19 Origins Investigation
Republicans in Congress are putting pressure on the inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services to provide details about a supposed visit by Dr. Anthony Fauci to the CIA during its investigation into the origins of COVID-19.
“According to information gathered by the Select Subcommittee, Dr. Anthony Fauci, then-director of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, played a role in the Central Intelligence Agency’s review of the origins of COVID-19,” Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic Chairman Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) wrote HHS Inspector General Christi Grimm on Tuesday. “The information provided suggests that Dr. Fauci was escorted into Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Headquarters — without a record of entry — and participated in the analysis to ‘influence’ the Agency’s review.”
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This letter from Tuesday follows the subcommittee’s investigation into claims made by a high-ranking CIA whistleblower earlier this month. The whistleblower alleged that senior officials offered financial incentives to members of the CIA COVID Discovery Team who were tasked with investigating the origins of SARS-CoV-2. The whistleblower stated that the majority of the team initially concluded that the virus originated at the Wuhan Institute of Virology but were coerced into changing their position in favor of the zoonotic hypothesis.
Wenstrup’s letter to Grimm does not specify the source of the information about the alleged meeting, nor does it provide a specific timeframe for when it occurred. The letter requests travel records and communications between Fauci and the CIA from January 2020 to December 2022, the period when Fauci retired from his position at NIAID.
“Information regarding specific movements of Dr. Fauci throughout the pandemic is reasonable and hardly intrusive, especially considering he is no longer employed by the federal government, he is no longer a protectee of the Inspector General, and we are not requesting any information regarding his current movements,” Wenstrup wrote.
The subcommittee also asked for communication records between HHS, NIAID, and the U.S. Marshals Service, which is still providing security protection to Fauci after his retirement, regarding entrance to any CIA property, including the George Bush Center for Intelligence in Langley, Virginia.
A spokesperson for HHS stated that the inspector general’s office received the letter and is currently reviewing it. However, they cannot provide any additional information at this time.
House Republicans have been increasing pressure on HHS to respond to their inquiries regarding the COVID-19 origins investigation. The chairmen of the House Oversight and Reform and Energy and Commerce committees, along with relevant subcommittee leadership, sent a letter earlier this month threatening possible subpoena action against various officials at the National Institutes of Health if the department continued to be uncooperative in the investigation process.
A spokesperson for the CIA also responded to the Washington Examiner’s request for comment, stating that the agency is looking into the circumstances of the inquiry. However, they did not comment on the status of the whistleblower investigation.
“The Select Subcommittee’s goal is to ensure accountability and transparency,” Wenstrup wrote. “The American people deserve the truth — to know the origins of the virus and whether there was a concerted effort by public health authorities to suppress the lab leak theory for political or national security purposes.”
Subcommittee Democrats previously stated that they had no knowledge of the CIA whistleblower’s testimony before the public announcement of the findings. Minority members of the committee did not respond to the Washington Examiner’s request for comment regarding Wenstrup’s letter to Grimm.
Click here to read more from the Washington Examiner.
Why is it important to have an unbiased, thorough, and transparent investigation into the origins of COVID-19
The demand by Republicans in Congress for information on an alleged visit by Dr. Anthony Fauci to the CIA during the investigation into the origins of COVID-19 has raised concerns about potential interference and manipulation in the review process. The Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, led by Chairman Brad Wenstrup (R-OH), has requested that the inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services, Christi Grimm, provide details on Dr. Fauci’s involvement.
The allegation stems from information gathered by the Select Subcommittee, which suggests that Dr. Fauci, then-director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, played a role in the CIA’s review of the origins of COVID-19. The subcommittee’s investigation was prompted by claims made by a high-ranking CIA whistleblower, who stated that financial incentives were offered to members of the CIA COVID Discovery Team tasked with investigating the origins of the virus. The whistleblower further alleged that the team’s initial conclusion, linking the virus to the Wuhan Institute of Virology, was changed under pressure in favor of the zoonotic hypothesis.
In his letter to Inspector General Grimm, Chairman Wenstrup calls for transparency and urges the release of travel records and communications between Dr. Fauci and the CIA from January 2020 to December 2022. He highlights that the request for information on Dr. Fauci’s movements throughout the pandemic is reasonable, especially since he is no longer employed by the federal government and is not under the protection of the Inspector General.
This demand for information underscores the importance of an unbiased, thorough, and transparent investigation into the origins of COVID-19. As the world continues to grapple with the consequences of the pandemic, it is crucial that any potential interference or manipulation is brought to light. The public deserves to know the truth about the origins of the virus, and any attempts to suppress or alter the findings of the investigation undermine public trust.
As the investigation progresses, it is imperative that all relevant information is provided to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the origins of COVID-19. The gravity of this global health crisis demands rigorous scrutiny and accountability. Therefore, it is the responsibility of all parties involved to cooperate fully and openly to uncover the truth. Only through an impartial and thorough investigation can we gain the knowledge necessary to prevent future pandemics and protect public health worldwide.
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