On Friday, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) sent a letter to Dr. Anthony Fauci demanding that he appear before the Committee and Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government for a transcribed interview regarding his involvement in the Biden White House’s censorship efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2021, while serving as Chief Medical Advisor to President Biden and Chief Medical Advisor for the White House COVID-19 Response Team, senior Biden White House officials from that team engaged in a monthslong censorship effort. Internal Facebook communications obtained by the Committee and the Select Subcommittee reveal that one of the world’s largest social media platforms censored the lab leak theory because of “pressure” from the Biden White House.
Excerpts of the letter to Dr. Fauci:
“The Committee on the Judiciary and Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government are conducting oversight of how and to what extent the Executive Branch has coerced or colluded with companies and other intermediaries to censor Americans’ speech. We believe that you are uniquely positioned to aid the Committee’s oversight, as you served as Chief Medical Advisor to President Biden and Chief Medical Advisor for President Biden’s COVID-19 Response Team. During your tenure, the Response Team participated in extensive efforts to unconstitutionally monitor and censor Americans’ speech on social media platforms. Accordingly, we request that you appear for a transcribed interview and produce documents relevant to our investigation.
“In 2021, while you served as Chief Medical Advisor to President Biden and Chief Medical Advisor for the Response Team, senior Biden White House officials from that team engaged in a monthslong censorship effort. Internal Facebook communications obtained by the Committee and Select Subcommittee reveal that one of the world’s largest social media platforms censored the lab leak theory because of ‘pressure’ from the Biden White House. Consistent with the silencing of those who dared to express an opposing viewpoint, you and other bureaucrats reportedly ‘sidelined’ Dr. Robert Redfield, then-Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) because he ‘had a different point of view’ and believed the virus ‘came from a Wuhan lab.’
“On June 3, 2024, you testified before the Oversight Committee’s Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic (Coronavirus Select Subcommittee) that you have ‘kept an open mind’ about the lab leak theory and did not play a part in the ‘push to downplay the lab leak theory.’ This is false on its face. It is also contradicted by Facebook’s decision to remove content about the lab leak theory because of ‘pressure’ from the Biden Administration, particularly the Response Team, of which you were a member. To better understand how and to what extent the Executive Branch has coerced or colluded with companies and other intermediaries to censor Americans’ speech, we respectfully request that you appear for a transcribed interview before the Committee.
“In addition, recent reporting from the Coronavirus Select Subcommittee alleges that you may have taken ‘part in a conspiracy amongst the highest levels of [National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)]’ to ‘destroy’ or ‘hide’ ‘official records regarding the origins of COVID-19,’ including by conducting official business on your personal email and deleting official records in an attempt avoid the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and public disclosure to the American people. In light of these revelations, please also provide the following documents and information in your possession:
1. All documents and communications, from January 1, 2019 to the present, between or among you and any employee, contractor, or agent of the Executive Branch of the United States Government referring or relating to the moderation, deletion, suppression, restriction, demonetization, or reduced circulation of content, or the accuracy or truth of content.
a. This request includes but is not limited to all documents and communications, from January 1, 2019 to the present, between or among you, Peter Daszak, Francis Collins, and any other Executive Branch employee, contractor, or agent referring or relating to the deletion of records or use of alternate methods of communication to avoid FOIA requests, congressional oversight, and/or discovery in litigation related to documents and communications responsive to Request 1.
2. All documents and communications, from January 1, 2019 to the present, between or among you and any employee, contractor, or agent of the NIAID and any technology company, including social media companies, referring or relating to the moderation, deletion, suppression, restriction, demonetization, or reduced circulation of content, or the accuracy or truth of content.”
Read the full letter to Dr. Fauci here.
