After Project Veritas released a video last night that exposed Dr. Fauci’s involvement in sponsoring Gain-of-Function research in the Wuhan Institute of Virology, Fauci HIMSELF addressed the story when questioned by Senator Roger Marshall.
Senator Roger Marshall: Dr. Fauci, you previously told this committee under oath that NIH and NIAID have never funded Gain-of-Function research with the EcoHealth Alliance. However, a report from the Department of Defense Inspector General released yesterday states that EcoHealth Alliance approached DARPA in 2018 seeking funding to conduct Gain-of-Function research on bat-borne coronaviruses. This proposal named Project Diffuse was rejected by DARPA because the project didn't address the current research's potential to violate the Gain-of-Function moratorium. The proposal does not mention or assess potential risk of Gain-of-Function research, a direct quote from the DARPA rejection letter. The same proposal rejected by DARPA for Gain-of-Function potential was not rejected by NIAID under your leadership. You funded Project Diffuse and its research that took place at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Why did you tell the committee that your agency has never funded Gain-of-Function research? Why did your agency award this grant? Despite it being rejected by DARPA, due to its concerns about violating the moratorium that was in place. And finally, will you commit today to releasing all records fully unredacted by the end of this week? So the American people can know the truth about NIH’s role and the origins of COVID 19?
Dr. Anthony Fauci: So again, Senator, it really pains me to have to point out to the American public how absolutely incorrect you are. What came out last night on Project Veritas was a grant that was submitted to DARPA. Then it distorted and said, we funded the grant. We have never seen that grant and we have never funded that grant. So once again, you are completely and unequivocally incorrect -- the DARPA proposal was a grant that we never saw and we did not fund. So, you are incorrect.
Senator Marshall: Our social media will have all the supporting documents and we'll be supporting these --
Dr. Fauci: You are backing down on this? Why don't we go and look at the very top statement that we're talking about, a grant that was submitted to DARPA --
Senator Marshall: Are you saying this was not -- are you saying that this was not viral Gain-of-Function research?
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Dr. Fauci: To respond, Senator, we know the misinformation – the guiderails for what can be done or not were not established by me. They were established by a three-year process led by the office of Science and Technology policy of the White House and decided --
Senator Marshall: By you in a secret meeting at the White House in December of 2019.
Dr. Fauci: Senator, that is incorrect. And this refers exactly to what I was talking about in response to Senator Rand Paul, you are incorrect completely. And every time I try to explain --
Senator Marshall: You keep saying, “you're incorrect,” but the facts are on my side.
Senator Marshall’s arguments are corroborated in large part by the documents Project Veritas released last night.
SEE THE DOCUMENTS
ALSO WATCH: Rand Paul's further questioning of Fauci on the 12th January's Senate Health Committee Hearing.