Newly released federal records obtained by the House Oversight Committee have revealed that Dr. David Morens, a top advisor to Dr. Anthony Fauci, has admitted to using his personal email account in order to avoid Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. In addition to this, he also suggested that he has deleted emails during the Covid-19 pandemic. These revelations have raised concerns about potential violations of federal record-keeping laws and lack of transparency.
Dr. Morens, who has served as an advisor at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for the past 25 years, made these statements in an email that was uncovered by Republican Rep. Brad Wenstrup of Ohio. In the email, Dr. Morens wrote, “As you know, I try to always communicate on Gmail because my NIH email is FOIA’d constantly.” This suggests that he intentionally used his personal email to avoid FOIA requests and evade transparency.
Furthermore, in the same email, Dr. Morens stated, “I will delete anything I don’t want to see in the New York Times.” This raises concerns about the potential deletion of important information during a crucial time in the Covid-19 pandemic. The House Oversight Committee has described these emails as possibly incriminating, adding to the growing scrutiny surrounding the handling of the pandemic response.
The House Oversight Committee, led by Chairman Brad Wenstrup, is investigating the potential violations of federal record-keeping laws at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) by Dr. Morens. The emails obtained by the committee not only suggest the use of personal email to avoid FOIA requests but also reveal potentially illegal actions taken by Dr. Morens, including deleting federal records and disparaging fellow scientists in his official capacity.
Additionally, it has been alleged that Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the NIAID, asked Dr. Morens to publicly suppress the lab leak theory because he did not want his involvement to be revealed. This allegation adds another layer of controversy to the situation and raises questions about the transparency and integrity of the pandemic response.
In response to these revelations, Chairman Wenstrup has requested all documents and communications from Dr. Morens’ personal email and cellphone related to specific Covid origins publications. The committee has also requested a transcribed interview with Dr. Morens to further investigate the matter.
One of the uncovered emails also shows Dr. Morens expressing frustration about not being approved to talk about the Covid origins on the record. In an email to a Bloomberg reporter, he wrote that the White House and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are very “touchy” when it comes to talking to the press. This raises concerns about potential pressure and control over the flow of information regarding the origins of the virus.
These revelations regarding Dr. Morens’ use of personal email and potential deletion of emails during the Covid-19 pandemic have raised significant concerns about transparency and accountability in the handling of the pandemic response. As investigations continue, it remains to be seen what further information will be uncovered and what actions will be taken to address these concerns.
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