As reported by Fox News, Senator Rand Paul has implored the Justice Department to launch a full investigation into Dr. David Morens' purported destruction of crucial documents discussing COVID-19's origins.
This urgent call for an inquiry stems from accusations against Dr. David Morens, a senior advisor, who allegedly deliberately concealed documents about the origins of COVID-19.
The gravity of this situation is underscored by email evidence that suggests Dr. Morens deliberately circumvented legal frameworks designed to ensure transparency.
These emails were brought forward by a subpoena issued by the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, highlighting a potential systemic issue concerning public records laws within the NIH.
Last Wednesday's correspondence from Senator Rand Paul to Attorney General Merrick Garland has ignited serious concerns. Dr. Morens is accused of deleting and manipulating documents to circumvent Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, which are the public's tools to access federal records.
The following day, during a House committee hearing, NIH Principal Deputy Director Lawrence Tabak acknowledged certain email deletions by Dr. Morens. This testimony verified part of the broader allegations concerning the challenge of transparency within NIH.
Email exchanges under scrutiny provide a deeper look into the tactics used to allegedly hide interactions from FOIA searches. One particularly telling email involves a conversation between Morens and Dr. Peter Daszak, the president of EcoHealth Alliance, where Dr. Morens discloses methods supposedly employed to prevent email disclosures.
According to the subpoenaed communications, Dr. Morens preferred using personal email addresses over his official NIH account to avoid detection under FOIA requests.
Further, certain emails suggest an advised methodological deletion of communications after FOIA requests had been filed but before searches were conducted, indicating a deliberate intention to skirt legal requirements.
In one email dated back to 2021, Dr. Morens explicitly explains his preference for Gmail, stating it reduces the risk of his communications being accessible under standard FOIA procedures. This confession starkly contrasts with expected standards for public sector transparency and accountability.
Rep. James Comer highlighted a troubling statement made by Dr. Morens in congressional testimony:
Dr. David Morens, a senior advisor to Fauci for decades, wrote in an email to Dr. Daszak, ‘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. Plus I deleted most of those earlier emails after sending them to Gmail.’ Is that consistent with NIH document retention policies?
This scenario described in Senator Paul's letter is not just limited to Dr. Morens but hints at a possible wider strategy within the NIH to obscure records from the public eye. Sen. Paul's assertion reveals a potential breach of law, suggesting a pre-orchestrated effort within parts of the NIH to deceive mandatory legal processes.
In conclusion, Senator Rand Paul's charges against Dr. David Morens suggest deep-rooted issues surrounding the handling of public records at the NIH. These issues revolve around the alleged procedure of document deletion to evade FOIA scrutiny, the preference for communication via personal email to dodge NIH's regulations, and insider tips on deleting emails post-FOIA request. This controversy might significantly affect transparency and public trust in health agencies.
