In regards to gain-of-function experiments, National Review reports that in 2012, Fauci believed “the benefits of such experiments and the resulting knowledge outweigh the risks.” Does anyone still believe such research is beneficial, considering the millions who’ve perished from a virus that might have accidentally escaped from a facility in Wuhan?
Microbiologist David Relman, molecular biologist Alina Chan, virologist Danielle Anderson and other experts have expressed the viewpoint that COVID-19 could have emanated from gain-of-function research or other controversial experiments and possibly leaked from a laboratory. Now that US Sen. Rand Paul sent a criminal referral to the US Department of Justice accusing Fauci of lying about gain-of-function research funding, how long before other Republicans join the Kentucky senator in questioning the accuracy of Fauci’s testimony?
In addition, how long before Democrats alter their political strategy from opposing Trump at all costs to being tougher on China before the 2022 midterms?
Fauci, despite being championed as paragon of virtue, doesn’t fit the eventual shift in Democratic Party policy toward China. Polls show most Americans support a stronger foreign policy stance on China and US President Joe Biden “took aim” at the country with tough talk during his first speech to Congress. Biden recently approved a US Navy destroyer to sail through the Taiwan Strait and Democrats have joined with Republicans on anti-Beijing legislation.
Furthermore, the $600,000 in funding to the Wuhan Institute of Virology that began during the Obama administration doesn’t help liberal politicians distance themselves from Fauci’s verbal sparring matches with Paul. Debating the various definitions of gain-of-function research, or Fauci pointing to “annual reports” that bolster his claims does little to mitigate the warranted suspicions of Paul, Ron Johnson and former president Trump. If American taxpayer dollars went to funding dangerous research in a country where the Chinese Communist Party is now only experimenting with transparency, we’ll never know if appropriate safeguards were implemented to protect the world from a lab leak.
Dr. Fauci could be telling the truth during testimony, and Rand Paul could be wrong, however there’s not a person on the planet who can guarantee that the Chinese government, or media, would tell the truth about a possible mishap, or accident.
From Andrew Cuomo to Michael Avenatti, Democrats have championed media darlings who served as a foil to former president Trump, only to jettison these individuals once more information about their past, or other controversies resulted in a fall from grace. Furthermore, Democrats quickly abandon lofty ideals (for political expediency) when women like Tara Reid accuse Biden of sexual assault, or Hunter Biden’s emails show he used the “n-word” and introduced his father to shady business associates, so it’s not a stretch to imagine liberal politicians evoking Trump’s rhetoric towards China, without being accused of racism or xenophobia. Fauci doesn’t fit the more bellicose stance against China that Democrats will likely evoke before 2022, despite being hailed as a stoic opponent of Trump’s handling of the pandemic.
Fauci’s political utility might be approaching an expiration date and pressure to be tougher on China might force Biden and Democrats to jettison America’s most revered COVID-19 expert. As Josh Rogan of The Washington Post explained on Twitter, “@RandPaul was right and Fauci was wrong” since funding went to gain-of-function research, just not experiments that met the definition of the NIH. With more revelations of American taxpayer funding (that began during the Obama administration) and Fauci’s role in this funding, fickle Democrats and journalists will likely distance themselves from a revered authority, especially since the 2022 midterms are around the corner.
The writer is an author, columnist, and journalist published in The Hill, The Huffington Post, The Daily Caller, The Jerusalem Post, and other publications.