Public Records Officer at NIH Involved in FOIA Scandal

A public records officer at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), relatively unknown up until now, has found herself in the middle of a growing scandal involving Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.

Subpoenaed Emails Reveal Possible FOIA Evasion

The controversy came to light after subpoenaed emails belonging to David Morens, a former top advisor to Anthony Fauci, suggested that he had been taught how to manipulate the system to avoid his emails being captured by FOIA requests. Morens wrote in an email dated February 24, 2021, that he had learned from the FOIA officer at NIH how to make emails disappear after a FOIA request but before the search begins.

Implicating the 'FOIA Lady'

Morens implicated Margaret (Marg) Moore, who is informally known as “The FOIA lady,” in an attempt to conceal information from the American public, particularly information related to the origins of Covid-19. This is a serious crime. This revelation prompted an investigation by the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, which Chairman Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) referred to as a “cover-up.”

Allegations of Conspiracy

In a letter to NIH director Monica Bertagnolli in May, it was suggested that there might be a “conspiracy at the highest levels” of these once trusted public health institutions. Wenstrup stated that if the implications of these documents are true, it would be a direct attack on public trust and should be met with swift enforcement and consequences for those involved.

Evidence of Intentional Misspellings

Wenstrup also mentioned that there was evidence that a former chief of staff of Fauci’s might have intentionally misspelled words—such as “Ec~Health ” instead of “EcoHealth ”—to prevent emails from being captured in keyword searches by FOIA officials.

Subpoena for the 'FOIA Lady'

Wenstrup has now issued a subpoena to compel Moore, the 'FOIA lady,' to appear for a deposition on October 4, 2024, as she has repeatedly resisted these efforts and delayed the investigation of the Select Subcommittee. Wenstrup expressed his shock at the alleged scheme to help NIH officials delete COVID-19 records and use their personal emails to avoid FOIA. He added that holding Moore accountable for any role she played in undermining American trust is a step towards improving the lack of accountability and absence of transparency rapidly spreading across many agencies within our federal government.

Moore Pleads the Fifth

However, Moore has indicated through her lawyers that she would invoke her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Her lawyers wrote to Wenstrup explaining that she’d cooperated with the Select Subcommittee to find “an alternative” to sitting for an interview, including expediting her own FOIA request for her own documents. They also clarified that Morens’ emails suggesting Moore gave tips “about avoiding FOIA,” were misleading because Morens, under oath said, “That was a joke…She didn’t give me advice about how to avoid FOIA.” Despite this, Moore's decision to plead the Fifth has only fueled concern over the lack of transparency and accountability of one of the nation's top health research institutions.

Bottom Line

The saga continues and it's not over until the 'FOIA lady' sings! This situation raises serious questions about the transparency and accountability of our public health institutions. What are your thoughts on this matter? Feel free to share this article with your friends to get their opinions as well. Also, don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is delivered every day at 6pm.