Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) has released a trove of emails shedding light on the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. These emails, made public by Sen. Paul on Tuesday, reveal communications between key figures at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and EcoHealth Alliance, a nonprofit involved in global health research.
The emails discuss the potential to map the genomes of over 700 coronaviruses and involve discussions about a collection of 15,000 samples from Wuhan. Notably, some of these discussions were conducted using personal email accounts, raising concerns about transparency and accountability.
In response to these revelations, a subpoena was issued for Dr. David Morens, a senior adviser to Dr. Fauci, regarding his use of personal email for sensitive discussions related to COVID-19. The Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic seeks to investigate whether Morens’ use of personal email was an attempt to evade transparency laws.
Dr. Morens faces accusations of using private email to avoid transparency and will testify publicly later this year. The emails suggest that Dr. Morens may have given Dr. Peter Daszak access to confidential information and insights into internal discussions at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Senator Rand Paul has been vocal about his concerns regarding these emails, accusing Dr. Fauci of being involved in damage control after the potential risks associated with NIH-funded research became apparent.
The controversy surrounding these emails has sparked commentary from notable figures, including Elon Musk, and has reignited debates over the role of gain-of-function research in the origins of the pandemic.
The Subcommittee previously disclosed emails suggesting that Dr. Morens concealed COVID-19 information and preferred using Gmail to avoid Freedom of Information Act requests. Despite an internal investigation, NIH did not disclose its findings to Congress or the public.
Dr. Morens finally appeared for a transcribed interview in January 2024, during which whistleblower evidence further implicated him in deliberately circumventing transparency laws to obscure discussions about COVID-19’s origins.
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