Top Researchers Allegedly Conspired to Destroy Email Evidence Related to Covid-19 Outbreak

A fresh batch of emails released by the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic suggests that high-ranking researchers, who were involved in manipulating bat coronaviruses to make them more infectious to humans, conspired to delete email evidence of their communications regarding the Covid-19 outbreak.

Key Players: Peter Daszak, David Morens, Peter Hotez

The emails in question primarily center around Dr. David Morens, a top adviser to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It appears that Morens sought assistance from the NIH's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) office to evade records requests. Morens is currently on administrative leave. The Subcommittee indicated that evidence suggests that Morens, while employed by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and NIH, acted on behalf of a federal grantee, EcoHealth Alliance. Morens allegedly began assisting Dr. Peter Daszak, the head of EcoHealth Alliance, on how to respond to NIH compliance efforts.

Deleted Emails and FOIA Evasion

In one of the emails, dated Feb. 24, 2021, Morens wrote to an unknown recipient, "I learned from our FOIA lady here how to make emails disappear after I am FOIA’d but before the search starts." He further added, "Plus I deleted most of those earlier emails after sending them to Gmail." In another email, Morens stated that with the help of IT personnel, he had ensured that his Gmail account was safe from FOIA requests. He requested that nothing be sent to him except to his Gmail account. Morens also advised Daszak, "We are all smart enough to know never to have smoking guns, and if we did we wouldn't put them in emails and if we found them we'd delete them."

Reactions and Implications

According to Diane Cutler, a former investigator for the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, Morens' actions potentially violated criminal law and ethical standards of conduct for executive branch employees. Members of the panel, both Republicans and Democrats, were unanimous in their criticism of Morens. Subcommittee chairman Brad Wenstrup expressed deep concern over the contents of the emails and criticized Morens, the Office of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease under Dr. Fauci’s leadership, and the NIH under Dr. Francis Collins.

What's Next?

There are now two documented instances of emails from Peter Hotez and Anthony Fauci on how to delete official emails during the pandemic and concerning the origins of the virus. This revelation raises several questions about transparency, accountability, and the pursuit of truth during a global health crisis. What are your thoughts on this matter? Do you think these actions are justified, or do they represent a breach of trust? Share this article with your friends and let us know your thoughts. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is delivered every day at 6pm.