(NationalUSNews.com) — Anthony Fauci has returned to Capitol Hill to discuss the international pandemic and its potential origins, prompting renewed criticism of the National Health Institute.
Lawmakers asked Fauci about various policies from the National Health Institute and how the organization’s members attempted to avoid government regulation by using personal email addresses to discuss the pandemic and ongoing research projects. Fauci worked with the National Health Institute for almost fifty years and oversaw numerous research projects at the organization.
Fauci denied using a personal email address while at the National Health Institute and claimed he didn’t discuss methods of avoiding government oversight with his aide, David Morens. Fauci’s denial comes as lawmakers found evidence of an email exchange between Morens and Fauci. In the exchange, Morens claimed that Fauci could use a personal email address to avoid disclosing information to the federal government. Lawmakers also asked Fauci about the gain-of-function research projects he oversaw during his time at the organization, which many people believe could’ve led to the creation of COVID-19.
Despite the speculation surrounding gain-of-function research, Fauci reaffirmed his previous statements that the coronavirus research projects couldn’t have resulted in the international pandemic. The National Health Institute funded research at a lab in China, where lab staff developed various coronaviruses to study their pathology. Many people cited the gain-of-function research as the origin of the international pandemic, but Fauci claims that it would’ve been impossible for the researcher-developed coronaviruses to develop into COVID-19.
Many of the lawmakers on the panel were members of the Republican Party, including Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia). Greene refused to acknowledge Fauci’s medical degree and said that Fauci should’ve been jailed for his actions during the international pandemic. Greene also asked about policies Fauci supported during the pandemic, including the infamous six-foot social distancing rule and the mask mandates. Fauci discredited Greene after the hearing and claimed that lawmakers like Greene, who repeatedly question his integrity, are responsible for the growing threats towards Fauci and other members of the National Health Institute.
Representative James Comer (R-Kentucky) also criticized Fauci during the panel meeting and said that Fauci lied to Congress when he first discussed the international pandemic and possible policies to prevent the spread of disease. According to Comer, lying to Congress constitutes a felony, and the House will likely recommend criminal charges against Fauci to the Department of Justice.
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