House Republicans are demanding Anthony Fauci give an interview under oath as part of their revamped investigation into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic
Reps. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio), the chairman of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, and James Comer (R-Ky.), chairman of the House Oversight Committee, are pressing for information from Fauci as well as senior Biden administration officials and the president of EcoHealth Alliance.
Fauci was director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) for nearly 40 years before retiring from government at the end of last year. He has said on numerous occasions he would gladly testify for a GOP-led panel, and this may be his chance. The letter asks for a transcribed interview, where he would be under oath.
A committee spokesperson said there are no immediate plans for an open hearing yet.
House Republicans have made no secret of their intention to investigate the origins of the virus, beginning when they were in the minority.
Now that they’re in charge, GOP leaders have indicated they won’t accept delays.
A letter sent to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) earlier this month asked for a range of documents related to the monitoring of biosafety and research practices at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, where Republicans generally agree the virus originated from.
And at a hearing with administration health officials last week, Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-Va.) accused the NIH of stonewalling Congress.
But while outside experts agree on the need for a thorough examination of how we got here, the investigation has been intensely politicized from the start.
The 12-member Coronavirus Response subcommittee is charged with examining the origins of the pandemic, including federal funding of gain-of-function research.
The examination of gain-of-function research is central to the common GOP position that the virus originated from a lab in Wuhan, China, and was potentially backed by funding from the U.S. government.
You can read more about the hearing and what Republicans are saying in our report on TheHill.com tonight.
