A longtime aide to Dr. Anthony Fauci boasted in emails about how he evaded public records requests by deleting “smoking gun” emails.
This bombshell about David Morens, the senior advisor to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director, was revealed during a House Oversight Committee hearing Thursday.
Committee chair James Comer revealed it while questioning NIH Deputy Director Lawrence Tabak.
Listen:
David Morens’ email to @PeterDaszak:
“I learned from our @NIH FOIA lady how to make emails disappear after I am FOIA’d but before the search starts so I think we are all safe. Plus, I deleted most of those earlier emails…” pic.twitter.com/lncVsHYdEp
— Mentju (@mentju4) May 16, 2024
“Dr. David Morens, a senior advisor to Fauci for decades, wrote in an email to [EcoHealth Alliance president] Dr. [Peter] Daszak, ‘I learned from our FOIA lady here how to make emails disappear after I am FOIA’d but before the search starts. So I think we are all safe. Plus I deleted most of those earlier emails after sending them to Gmail,'” Comer said.
“Is that consistent with NIH document retention policies?” he then asked Tabak.
Tabak admitted that no, this isn’t consistent with NIH policies.
“He also later wrote Dr. Daszak, ‘We are all smart enough to know to never have smoking guns. And if we did we wouldn’t put them in emails. And if we found them we would delete them,'” Comer continued. “Is that consistent with NIH document retention policies?”
“It is not,” Tabak again replied.
Comer then tossed one final question at him.
“Finally, emails show that Dr. Morens would share international discussions regarding upcoming FOIA releases with Dr. Daszak,” the congressman said. “He would then help Dr. Daszak craft responses to documents being released in these FOIAs. Are those actions consistent with NIH policies?”
Again, Tabak said no.
Yet despite all these inconsistent actions, Morens still remains gainfully employed by the NIH. This, many critics argue, is a problem, as Morens should be fired, if not also sent to jail.
Look:
How does this not land you in prison?
— Stephen Horn (@stephenehorn) May 16, 2024
David Morens had better get ready for his soon-to-be new home, federal prison.
— Chuck Buhr (@chuck_buhr) May 16, 2024
Absolutely criminal! He should have “wiped them with a cloth” then he’d be excused .
— Lakelady (@marthamkb) May 16, 2024
How many laws does this break. Every single email and document has to be saved and sent to storage warehouse.
— goaliedad030 (@goaliedad030) May 17, 2024
— MattBan (@1stFreeMatt) May 17, 2024
The hearing came a day after an announcement broke that Daszak’s EcoHealth Alliance has had its federal funding suspended for failing to adequately oversee the research it had contracted out to the infamous Wuhan Institute of Virology.
“HHS deputy assistant secretary for acquisitions Katrina Brisbon informed EcoHealth President Dr. Peter Daszak in a Wednesday letter … that there was ‘adequate evidence’ to recommend the nonprofit be cut off from future government contracts, writing ‘immediate action is necessary to protect the public interest,'” according to the New York Post.
“Debarment is generally for a period not to exceed three years; however, regardless of whether EHA contests this action or responds to this Notice, I may impose debarment for a longer period or shorter period as the circumstances warrant,” Brisbon added.
As previously reported, NIAID issued its first grant in 2014. EcoHealth Alliance then forwarded some of that money to the Wuhan Institute. The problem is that the evidence suggests the money was then used to perform controversial “gain of function” research — the exact type of research that some suspect was responsible for COVID.
By the way, guess what the 2014 grant was specifically for …
“Understanding the Risk of Bat Coronavirus Emergence.”
No joke.
The grant was subsequently suspended in 2020 because of COVID:
Get the FACTS on COVID-19: On April 19, 2020: NIH suspended EcoHealth Alliance’s grant called “Understanding the Risk of Bat Coronavirus Emergence” given concerns of the Wuhan Institute of Virology as the possible origin of COVID-19. pic.twitter.com/k7e5CxrUxA
— Congresswoman Debbie Lesko (@RepDLesko) August 5, 2021
What’s known is that Fauci has repeatedly denied that the NIAID’s money has been used to fund “gain of function” research at the Wuhan Institute.
Republican Sen. Rand Paul is one of a few congressmen who’s sought to hold him accountable for this apparent lie.
“Your repeated denials have worn thin and the majority of Americans, frankly, don’t believe you. Your persistent denials are not just a stain on your reputation but are a clear and present danger to the country and to the world. You’ve changed the definition on your website to cover your ass,” Paul said to him during a hearing in 2021.
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
V. Saxena is a staff writer with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University. Saxena also contributes to BizPac Review.
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