The GOP-led House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic (SSCP) has asserted that Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former chief White House medical adviser, was accompanied by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and exerted influence over the narrative surrounding the origins of COVID-19.
The claims, outlined in a letter authored by Ohio Representative Brad Wenstrup and directed to Inspector General Christi Grimm, were made public recently. According to the letter, Fauci, who served as the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), visited CIA headquarters without any recorded entry and participated in an analysis aimed at shaping a specific narrative regarding the lab-leak theory.
It remains undisclosed who the source of this information was. However, the letter does mention one individual, Special Agent Brett Rowland, and requests that the Inspector General arrange for a voluntary transcribed interview with him.
Ohio Representative Wenstrup emphasized the goal of ensuring a fair, impartial, and unaltered scientific investigative process into the origins of COVID-19. “Our goal is to ensure the scientific investigative process regarding the origins of COVID-19 was fair, impartial, and free of alternative influence,” Wenstrup stated.
A spokesperson for the subcommittee shared, “The SSCP is and will continue to vigorously investigate the serious claims that Dr. Fauci potentially influenced the CIA’s analysis.”
Regarding Fauci’s alleged visits to CIA headquarters, it remains unclear how these events transpired. Fauci has been a prominent figure in the discussions on the origins of COVID-19, notably facing questions about whether the virus originated from a Chinese lab leak or through zoonotic transmission from animals to humans.
In February, reports from the Department of Energy and FBI suggested a lab leak as the source of the virus. Fauci, however, expressed skepticism about the lab-leak theory, stating that there was insufficient data to support it.
The SSCP has previously raised concerns about U.S. funding to the Wuhan Institute of Virology, particularly through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant to EcoHealth Alliance. Fauci clarified that he was unaware of this specific grant due to his extensive portfolio of responsibilities.
In a recent interview, Fauci addressed the matter, acknowledging the need to reexamine guidelines and potentially tighten them regarding funding for gain-of-function research. He clarified that the grant was relatively small compared to his substantial portfolio.
The SSCP has requested various documents, including those authorizing Fauci’s alleged visits to CIA facilities and communications related to Fauci’s whereabouts concerning the CIA. The investigation continues as the subcommittee seeks to determine the extent of Fauci’s involvement in shaping the narrative surrounding the origins of COVID-19.
Fauci, who played a prominent role in both the Trump and Biden administrations’ responses to the pandemic, has been subject to scrutiny and questions surrounding the virus’s origins.