Rep. Brad Wenstrup, a Republican from Ohio and the subcommittee’s chair said in a post-testimony statement that the initial day of questioning revealed “drastic and systemic failures in America’s public health systems.”
Health System Failure?
House Republicans recently interviewed Dr. Anthony Fauci for two days, focusing on perceived gaps in the oversight of research funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
GOP Investigates Wuhan Lab Origins
Additionally, Republicans are investigating the possibility that the virus emerged from a Wuhan lab, based on emerging reports. They pointed to Fauci’s supposed lack of awareness about specific activities in his area of responsibility and his role in a paper that rejected the Wuhan lab origin theory for COVID-19.
Partisan Divide Over Virus Origins
Meanwhile, Democrats have slammed these interviews as politically driven, attempting to demonstrate that there was no concealment of the virus’s origins.
Fauci’s “Did Not Recall” Moments
Key highlights from Day 1 of Dr. Fauci’s interview show he claimed he “did not recall” pertinent COVID-19 information or conversations. Dr. Fauci strongly defended his prior Congressional statement that the NIH doesn’t back gain-of-function research in Wuhan.
Email Raises Questions
He acknowledged signing off on all NIAID grants in the U.S. and abroad without reviewing them in detail. A 2020 email previously unveiled by the Select Subcommittee indicated Dr. Fauci was aware of the dangerous research in Wuhan. Still, now he is suggesting he shouldn’t have stated it as a “fact.”
Lastly, he couldn’t confirm whether NIAID really oversees the foreign labs they finance.
Chairman Wenstrup Reacts
“Dr. Fauci’s testimony today uncovered drastic and systemic failures in America’s public health systems. While leading the nation’s COVID-19 response and influencing public narratives, he simultaneously had no idea what was happening under his own jurisdiction at NIAID,” said Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic Chairman Brad Wenstrup.
Contrasting Expectations
He continued, “Clearly, the American people and the United States government are operating with completely different expectations about the responsibilities of our public health leaders and the accountability of our public health agencies.”
Questionable Memory Gaps
“It is also concerning that the face of our nation’s response to the world’s worst public health crisis ‘does not recall’ key details about COVID-19 origins and pandemic-era policies,” Wenstrup expressed.
Seeking Answers on Pandemic
He went on, “Nearly 1.2 million Americans lost their lives to a potentially preventable pandemic. I look forward to asking Dr. Fauci further questions about mandates, his role in prompting the ‘Proximal Origin’ publication, and his policy positions related to masks and lockdowns. [Tuesday’s] testimony will continue the Select Subcommittee’s effort to deliver the answers Americans demand and deserve.”
Cover-Up Allegations Denied
Notably, Rep. Raul Ruiz made it clear that Dr. Fauci was not involved in any cover-up of COVID-19’s origins or in suppressing the “lab leak theory,”
Day 2
On its second day, the questioning session focused on Dr. Fauci’s perspectives regarding mask-wearing, lockdown measures, and vaccine mandates, considering the profound effect the pandemic has had on the United States.
Second Appearance
This marks the second occasion that the ex-director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has appeared before the subcommittee, as it delves into the virus’s origins.
GOP Express Concerns
Wenstrup, along with his fellow Republicans, has voiced criticism against Fauci for the government’s management of the pandemic.
“We’re trying to be positive toward what we can do better in the future, and what was done, who said what, who’s responsible for what, who’s got oversight over what, because the system didn’t really seem to have a clear flow,” he said.
Animal or Lab Leak?
Back in June 2022, Fauci testified that while a lab leak was a possibility, the virology community believed that the virus originated from an animal. Wenstrup observed that in this week’s testimony, Fauci appeared more receptive to the lab leak theory.
Wenstrup stated, “I had the opportunity to get into the science with Dr. Fauci, comparing nature versus possibly contrived in a lab, all those things, and I think it really opened eyes we need more discussion on this, and he agreed on that.”
More from AllThingsFinance: Court Finally Unseals Secretive Case of Jan 6 Offender
Samuel Lazar sentenced for Jan. 6 insurrection; previously confidential case now revealed: Court Finally Unseals Secretive Case of Jan 6 Offender
Jack Smith continues pushing Judge Cannon, reminding her that “the speedy trial clock” is ticking
Jack Smith urges Judge Aileen Cannon for a speedy trial in a classified documents case involving ex-President Trump: Jack Smith continues pushing Judge Cannon, reminding her that “the speedy trial clock” is ticking
Defamation lawsuit against Kari Lake advances while people compare her to Rudy Giuliani
Kari Lake loses First Amendment right to accuse Maricopa County recorder; Arizona Republic ponders if she’s channeling Rudy Giuliani in her sleep : Defamation lawsuit against Kari Lake advances while people compare her to Rudy Giuliani
More Democrats are flipping in a crucial swing state than Republicans
In Pennsylvania, a significant number of registered Democrats flipping is sending an unflattering signal to President Biden: More Democrats are flipping in a crucial swing state than Republicans
