Fauci’s Diary and Phone Under Congressional Scrutiny

Dr. Anthony Fauci’s challenges continue on Capitol Hill following his recent Senate hearing. The House Oversight Committee questions why his diary and cellphone from the COVID-19 pandemic era were not submitted to Congress earlier, attributing the delay to former President Joe Biden’s top health official.

House Oversight Chairman James Comer sent a letter highlighting a November 2023 request to former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. The request demanded records from Fauci containing specific terms such as “COVID-19,” “gain-of-function,” and “Wuhan.” Comer criticized Becerra for not including any part of Fauci’s diary in his response.

The Committee is concerned that you either intentionally withheld this information, or that you failed to conduct an adequate search of the Department’s systems as requested in the November 2, 2023, letter, Comer wrote.

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently provided Fauci’s diary and phone to Senators Rand Paul and Ron Johnson. The contents stirred debate, with critics accusing Fauci of reveling in fame during the pandemic, while Americans faced strict regulations.

More than 1,000 pages were released. They included Fauci’s private thoughts as new pandemic information emerged. There were entries discussing his celebrated status. During a June 2024 subcommittee meeting, Fauci attributed school closure guidelines to the CDC, though diary entries suggest he had conversations with leaders about school policies. In one 2020 entry, Fauci claimed he advised New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to close schools.

Fauci did not address these details during his late July Senate hearing. Instead, he invoked the Fifth Amendment repeatedly as Republicans questioned him on the pandemic’s impact and his diary revelations.

Comer has turned attention to Becerra, now a California gubernatorial candidate, asking him to clarify his knowledge of the diary, reasons for its omission, and whether Biden officials influenced his actions. Becerra’s gubernatorial campaign was contacted for comments.

This scrutiny comes after David Morens, a former advisor to Fauci, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to hide COVID-19 records related to grant funding. In June 2024, Fauci admitted it was “inappropriate” for Morens to edit a press release and a letter sent to the National Institutes of Health.