Former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci directed officials to delete emails, contradicting his claims before Congress that he did not delete official records.
The emails, shared by Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), revealed that Fauci told then-National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins to “delete this e-mail after you read it.” The same comment was made to others involved in health agencies.
“He denied it under oath,” Paul wrote on social media. “These documents are now public, and Fauci will finally testify before Chairman Rand Paul.”
The senator shared a letter he sent to Fauci, requesting that he appear before Congress to “clarify your previous testimony.”
“During the course of its investigation, the [Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs] has obtained records revealing that you directed employees of the National Institutes for Health (NIH) to destroy federal records,” Paul’s letter reads. “These documents suggest your direct involvement in efforts to conceal information related to the Committee’s investigation and appear to contradict your previous testimony before Congress.”
Paul described Fauci’s 2024 statement, where he said, “No, I did not,” when asked, “Did you delete any emails or records related to the Wuhan lab or the origins of the virus?”
The senator noted that he has reason to believe that Fauci is in “possession of additional records related to the Committee’s ongoing investigation,” which are necessary for the Committee to “fully understand the federal government’s actions to identify the origins of COVID-19, and the extent to which taxpayer dollars were used to conduct risky virological research, as well as to weigh potential legislative reforms.”
In January, Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) issued subpoenas for materials surrounding Fauci. Describing his action, Johnson said the records “should have been turned over to me years ago, but the Biden administration opted to keep Congress and the public in the dark.”
