Wenstrup to HHS: Your Inability to Answer Simple Questions is Unacceptable

WASHINGTON — Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic Chairman Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio) is threatening to subpoena officials at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to obtain testimony related to the Department’s ongoing and deliberate effort to stonewall numerous Select Subcommittee investigations. During a public hearing last month, the Select Subcommittee demanded answers from HHS Assistant Secretary for Legislation, Dr. Melanie Egorin, about HHS’s year-long campaign to frustrate legitimate Congressional oversight. Instead of providing information to the Select Subcommittee, Dr. Egorin made excuses, declined to answer simple questions, and refused to commit to producing all responsive documents in HHS’s possession. This testimony demonstrated a profound lack of respect for Congress and is inconsistent with the Constitutional oath she took.

“At the hearing, you were asked simple questions regarding the process used by the Department to respond to Congressional inquiries. Answers to these questions would allow the Select Subcommittee to properly evaluate the Department’s record of compliance with the Select Subcommittee’s requests. Unfortunately, you did not have those answers ‘in front of you.’  Again, this is unacceptable,” wrote Chairman Wenstrup.

Despite not answering questions at the hearing, Dr. Egorin indicated that the Department would be happy to respond to any questions submitted for the Congressional record. Chairman Wenstrup’s letter today details a list of questions that HHS must answer by March 1, 2024. See a question set below:

1. Regarding the Select Subcommittee’s February 13, 2023 Letter:
   1. What potential custodians were identified?
   1. When did the Department first conduct custodial interviews?
   1. Who did the Department conduct custodial interviews with?
   1. When was the first search of a custodial inbox conducted?
   1. What search terms were used to determine responsiveness?
   1. How many total responsive documents were identified?

Read the text of the letter and the full list of questions here.  

More on HHS’s stonewalling:

• September 14 – Threaten Subpoena for COVID-19 Origins Information
• October 13 – Subpoena for Dr. David Morens
• November 2 – Subpoena for Dr. Melanie Egorin’s Testimony
• January 26 – Announces Hearing on HHS’s Compliance with Congress
• January 31 – HHS Compliance Hearing Wrap Up

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