Is Dr. Anthony Fauci Responsible for the COVID-19 Pandemic? Republicans Demand Answers
June 4, 2024 – In a heated congressional hearing on Monday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, faced fierce questioning from Republican lawmakers over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the virus’s origins.
This marked Fauci’s first public testimony since retiring from government service at the end of 2022.
Dr. Fauci voluntarily appeared before the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic to address accusations that he had approved funding for virology research in China that some conspiracy theorists claim led to the coronavirus escaping from a lab.
He denied these allegations, maintaining that he never concealed information about a potential lab leak and always kept an open mind regarding the virus’s origins.
“I don’t think the concept of there being a lab leak is inherently a conspiracy theory,” Fauci stated. “What is conspiracy is the kind of distortions of that particular subject, like it was a lab leak and I was parachuted into the CIA like Jason Bourne and told the CIA that they should really not be talking about a lab leak. That’s the conspiracy.”
Despite the subcommittee’s extensive investigations, no evidence was presented linking Fauci directly to the origins of the virus.
During the hearing, things got intense. Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene from Georgia said Dr. Fauci should be put in jail and lose his medical license. She blamed him for making kids wear masks in schools, calling it a form of “muzzling” them.
Fauci also addressed questions about his participation in a call with scientists in early 2020 discussing the possibility of a lab origin for the virus. He reiterated that, after thorough investigation, the consensus was that the virus most likely spilled over from animals to humans.
“The accusation being circulated that I influenced the scientists to change their minds by bribing them with millions of dollars in grant money is absolutely false and simply preposterous,” he added.
The hearing frequently returned to the activities of EcoHealth Alliance, a nonprofit that received U.S. government funding for research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
The Department of Health and Human Services recently suspended funding to EcoHealth Alliance for failing to properly monitor its research and comply with reporting requirements.
He rejected claims that he had protected the organization’s president, Peter Daszak, or engaged in any improper activities related to their research.
Republican subcommittee members also scrutinized his relationship with former aide David Morens, who allegedly used personal email accounts for official correspondence with Daszak. Fauci stated that Morens had violated agency policy and that such actions could constitute a conflict of interest.
During the hearing, Democrats strongly supported Fauci. Rep. Jamie Raskin from Maryland said Republicans were attacking Fauci unfairly, comparing it to treating him like a criminal. Rep. Robert Garcia from California was upset about how mean people were to Fauci and his family, mentioning the scary things they had to deal with.
Fauci emotionally recounted the credible death threats he has received, some of which led to arrests.
“It is very troublesome to me. It is much more troublesome because they’ve involved my wife and my three daughters,” he said, his voice choked with emotion.