On Thursday, Congressman Matt Gaetz grilled FBI Director Chris Wray on whether the FBI engaged in a cover-up related to the origins of the coronavirus, and specifically the FBI's handling of whistleblower Dr. Li-Meng Yan. Demanding to know which side the agency is on, Gaetz highlighted the fact growing evidence pointed to a cover-up, stating:
"We see it in the Fauci emails. We see it in the G7's call today to renew an inquiry into those origins. We see it in the Biden administration's efforts to squelch an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus."
Gaetz, who appeared later Thursday on Steve Bannon's War Room, remarked that on Apr. 28, 2020, whistleblower Dr. Li-Meng Yan landed in LA on her way to New York and was interviewed by an FBI agent Dana Murphy who took her phone that day, adding, "I'm holding the receipt from where you got the phone that had the we-chat messages that had very important information regarding Beijing and the Chinese communist party."
Gaetz continued, remarking the agent then followed her to New York and sought an interview with her on May 1st and 2nd. In the interviews, Yan presented evidence of We-Chat communications between herself and the Director of the CDC in Beijing, dating back to Dec. 2019. The messages pertained to the Chinese military's involvement in the development of the coronavirus, specifically linking information to the Director of Virology at the Wuhan Institute. Gaetz asked of Wray:
"Director Ray, when did you become aware of your agency's interface with Dr. Yang? When did you review those We-Chat messages? Is Dr. Li-Meng Yan part of the threat from China? It's not every day that an FBI agent flies from Los Angeles to New York to follow a Chinese doctor who is a whistleblower and a fact witness."
A tight-lipped Wray, who commented that he thinks both the president and the DNI are looking into "this issue," refused to answer whether the FBI considered Li-Meng Yan a threat, adding, "There are differences of view within the intelligence community about the origins of the coronavirus, and we are taking a deeper dive on that subject." However, Wray replied that the committee is aware of his vocal stance towards the counter-intelligence threat from the Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party, which takes on many forms and is "one of the most significant threats facing this country."
Not satisfied with Wray's response, Gaetz responded, "We are unable to hold the Chinese communist party accountable if we throw our hands in the air and say, well, there's differences of opinion." Heeding the devastating effects of COVID-19 on the nation, Gaetz stated again why the FBI's position on Dr. Li-Meng Yan is crucial, pointing out that on Oct. 14, 2020, an FBI agent and a scientist working with the FBI met with Dr. Yan in New York for nearly six hours. Gaetz asked Wray:
"Can you tell us anything about that meeting and what it tells us about the origins of this virus? It is simply unacceptable to sit here a year later and say, you're not going to tell us whether or not it was information about the origins of the virus when it is so central to the safety and health of our fellow Americans."
According to Gaetz, the fact that Dr. Yan showed up in the United States "saying that she wanted to provide information and tell the truth seems significant." Gaetz reminded Wray that when Dr. Yan made her initial claims about the CCP, their military involvement, and the leak of the virus from the lab, many people were trying to discredit her. He asked Wray again, "Are you able to ascertain whether or not that effort to discredit Dr. Yan is part of the counter-intelligence efforts by the CCP?" As his time came to a close, Gaetz asked Wray specifically:
"Will you provide to this committee any scientific analysis that the FBI has done regarding Dr. Yan's claims, regarding the messages she provided to you, regarding Beijing's knowledge of the origins of this virus, their military's involvement, and even efforts to try to present to the world, a fake genome sequence at the beginning of these developments."
Wray indicated he would have his staff follow up with Gaetz's staff and see what information the FBI can share.
