House GOP considers slapping David Morens, a top aide to Dr. Anthony Fauci, of criminal charges after he was exposed conducting official government transactions through his email account in an attempt to avoid Freedom of Information Act requests.
Morens was scheduled to appear before Congress and has been stealing the spotlight since June 2023, after troves of documents pointed out he used his Gmail account for his dealings on COVID-19 concerns.
Fauci’s senior adviser refused to provide a written opening statement before the hearing.
According to the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic chairman Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio), “At the very least, he misled Congress through his transcribed interview.”
“Lying to Congress is a felony,” Wenstrup stressed.
The Ohio lawmaker continued, “He denied discussing EcoHealth and the WIV with Dr. Fauci, but in his emails, he did. He denied conducting official National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director (NIAID) or NIH business over his personal emails. He did.”
“As we go through it and learn more, we may make some criminal referrals. Hopefully, we have a Department of Justice that’s willing to act when laws have been violated.”
He described Morens’ actions as like “asking the police, ‘How do I not get arrested for breaking the law?”
During one of his emails, the top aide for Fauci boasted that he could make emails disappear after he was advised by an official of FOIA of “tricks” on circumventing the FOIA law.
In one email he wrote on February 24, 2021, he said “I learned from our FOIA lady here how to make emails disappear after I am FOIA’d but before the search starts, so I think we are all safe.”
He also reminded friends to send emails to his Gmail address, “But if something goes to my govt mail by accident it’s OK, I have spoken to our FOIA folks and am managing my stuff after emails are sent or received, such that I should be safe from future FOIAs. Don’t ask how…”
Sen. Rand Paul called on Attorney General Merrick Garland to open a criminal investigation on David Morens’ use of private emails for government transactions.
Paul further said, “Emails obtained by the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic provide significant evidence that Dr. Morens unlawfully destroyed federal records relating to the origins of COVID-19 and improperly used his personal email address to evade federal records laws.”
“It is imperative that your Department investigate the allegations against Dr. Morens and, if substantiated, ensure that he is held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
Aside from Morens, GOP lawmakers also target prosecuting Fauci for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Georgia) was interviewed by Newsmax last week and said that he believes Fauci lied to Congress.
Fauci will testify before the subcommittee on June 3.
Meanwhile, the NIAID and the National Institutes of Health refused to comment on the matter.
