Rep. Comer confronts former Biden HHS secretary over concealing Dr. Fauci’s diary and phone from Congress

WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) is pressing former Biden Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra on why he withheld Dr. Anthony Fauci’s diary and phone from the Committee’s Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic last Congress, despite the Committee’s requests for records that would have required their production.

“The COVID-19 pandemic and decisions made by Dr. Fauci caused the American people irreparable harm," Comer said. 

"The House Oversight Committee’s Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic investigated the origins of COVID-19, prolonged school closures, and U.S. funding of risky research at the Wuhan lab to uncover the truth and hold those responsible accountable. Yet the Biden Administration repeatedly concealed information and stonewalled our investigation. It is unacceptable that former HHS Secretary Becerra withheld Dr. Fauci’s phone and diary from the Committee last Congress, despite those records being clearly responsive to our request. We are demanding answers and accountability from former Secretary Becerra.”

In November 2023, the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic requested all documents and communications from Dr. Fauci that included such search terms as “COVID-19,” “gain-of-function,” and “Wuhan.” These terms, among others outlined in the document request, appear throughout Dr. Fauci’s diary, which was composed on government-issued computers between 2019 and 2022. Despite the existence of this relevant and responsive information, former Secretary Becerra failed to include any portion of Dr. Fauci’s diary in his response, let alone even acknowledge its existence.

Chairman Comer is calling on former Secretary Becerra to answer questions within two weeks about HHS’s failure to produce Dr. Fauci’s phone and diary to the Committee.