Wenstrup, Comer, McMorris Rodgers, Griffith, Guthrie Threaten to Subpoena HHS and EcoHealth Alliance President for COVID-19 Origins Information - United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability

WASHINGTON — Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic Chairman Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio) has joined forces with Committee on Oversight Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.), Committee on Energy and Commerce (E&C) Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), E&C Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chairman Morgan Griffith (R-Va.), and E&C Subcommittee on Health Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) in an effort to force the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to comply with previous requests for COVID-19 origins information and cease stonewalling.

In a letter to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, the Chairs renewed requests from four previous letters for potentially incriminating documents and communications concerning EcoHealth Alliance, Wuhan Institute of Virology, and the now infamous “Proximal Origin” publication. The Committees have also asked individuals potentially involved with a COVID-19 origins cover-up to appear voluntarily for transcribed interviews — most notably Dr. Francis Collins, Dr. Lawrence Tabak, and Dr. Hugh Auchincloss. If HHS does not meet the stated deadlines, the Chairs will be forced to consider the use of subpoenas to obtain the requested COVID-19 origins information.

“This letter consolidates our previous requests regarding the origins of COVID-19 and, as a further accommodation to the Department, tables some requests, adds significant topic specificity, scopes down the time frame of our previous requests, and prioritizes requests most important to the Committees. Considering these significant accommodations, we expect full and timely compliance with each request,” wrote the Chairs. “If the Department fails to meet any of the prescribed deadlines, the Committees will be forced to consider the use of the compulsory process.”

In a second wave of letters, the Chairs reiterated invitations to three individuals with extensive involvement in COVID-19 origins related operations to appear for voluntary transcribed interviews. Notably, the renewed request for the testimony of Dr. Peter Daszak, President of EcoHealth Alliance, is critical to the investigation into the potential use of American taxpayer funds to conduct dangerous gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

Further, the Chairs requested voluntary transcribed interviews with Mr. Greg Folkers — who served as Dr. Anthony Fauci’s Chief of Staff — and with Mr. F. Gray Handley — who served as Associate Director for International Affairs at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Should Dr. Daszak, Mr. Folkers, and Mr. Handley continue to refuse to cooperate with the Committees, the use of subpoenas will be considered.

Read the letter to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra here.

Read the voluntary transcribed interview requests for Dr. Peter Daszak, Mr. Greg Folkers, and Mr. F. Gray Handley below:

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