On Tuesday, GOP Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio ripped members of the scientific community who downplayed the likelihood Covid-19 leaked from a lab and asserted they were all aware it is likely it emerged from the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China.
At a House Oversight subcommittee hearing addressing the Covid pandemic’s origins, Jordan questioned, “Why did they lie to us?”
“And why is it taking so long for every government agency to admit what we all know?” asked Jordan. “Because belief in a lab leak as the start of this is not a conspiracy theory.”
Jordan, while speaking to former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe, continued: “Why has it taken so long? You knew that early on.”
“You confirmed that in May of 2020, and you knew that within weeks that this thing came from a lab. In fact, I think you say that in your testimony. You say, ‘Lab leak is the only credible explanation. If this were a trial, the preponderance of the evidence is all on the side of the lab leak.’ You knew all that within weeks.”
Monday, a report released by Republicans on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee concluded that a “preponderance of circumstantial evidence” shows Covid was released due to a lab leak at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
The FBI sees the lab leak as the most likely origin of the virus with “moderate confidence,” The Energy Department maintains that it has “low confidence” in a lab leak.
Jordan noted many scientists downplayed lab leak as conspiracy theory
Rep. Jordan noted that many scientists who later downplayed the lab leak as a conspiracy theory had nonetheless argued the virus didn’t appear to be naturally occurring.
The representative focused on Dr. Kristian Andersen of Scripps Research Institute and Dr. Robert Garry of Tulane University. Both wrote to Anthony Fauci, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease head, in January 2020 that the virus was likely developed in a lab.
Both later walked the claim back, and Andersen called it “crackpot,” according to The Daily Caller.
“The director of national intelligence knew this thing came from a lab,” said Jordan. “The Secretary of State knew this thing came from a lab. Common sense tells you this thing came from a lab. And, frankly, even the guys who called us names knew it came from the lab because we have their emails. Emails from the start.”
“Mr. Garry says, ‘I don’t know how this thing happens in nature. It would be easy to do in a lab.’ Mr. Andersen says, ‘This is not consistent with evolution.’ Everyone knew from the get-go,” said Jordan.
