Bowling Green Today

Yesterday, U.S. Senator Rand Paul and 18 other senators sent a follow-up letter to the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), William J. Burns, requesting information on whistleblower allegations concerning the CIA's investigation into the origins of COVID-19. The allegations were disclosed by the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

According to the whistleblower, a senior-level, current Agency officer has come forward with information regarding the CIA's analysis into the origins of COVID-19. The officer claims that a COVID Discovery Team consisting of seven members was assigned to the investigation. Six of the seven members believed that COVID-19 originated from a laboratory in Wuhan, China, while the seventh member believed it originated through zoonosis.

These allegations have raised serious questions about the CIA's investigation into the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in light of the Agency's inability to determine the precise origin of the virus, as stated in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence's unclassified report in June 2023.

In their letter, the senators expressed their concern about the CIA's refusal to cooperate with requests for information regarding the whistleblower allegations. They emphasized that the CIA has an obligation to be responsive to congressional oversight requests from all members of the Senate.

Dr. Paul and his colleagues reiterated their previous requests for information, which include all documents and communications related to the establishment of the COVID Discovery Team, as well as any documents and communications regarding the origins of COVID-19. They also requested all documents and communications between the COVID Discovery Team and other federal government agencies.

Dr. Paul was joined in sending the letter by Senators Roger Wicker, Ted Budd, Cynthia Lummis, Markwayne Mullin, Cindy Hyde-Smith, Bill Cassidy, Rick Scott, Mike Lee, Bill Hagerty, Mike Braun, Ted Cruz, Tommy Tuberville, Josh Hawley, Roger Marshall, Eric Schmitt, Ron Johnson, Susan Collins, and Lindsey Graham.

This follow-up letter comes after a previous request made on September 12, 2023, for additional documents and information related to the CIA's investigation. The senators received a response from the Office of Congressional Affairs on September 27, 2023, indicating that the CIA was engaging with the congressional intelligence committees on the matter but failed to provide any of the requested information or documentation.

The full text of the letter can be found on Senator Rand Paul's website.

This development highlights the ongoing concerns surrounding the origins of COVID-19 and the need for transparency and cooperation in the investigation process. The senators' efforts to obtain information from the CIA reflect their commitment to ensuring accountability and understanding the true origins of the pandemic.