When Jim Jordan asked Anthony Fauci on Monday whether he agreed that there was a push to downplay the ‘lab leak’ theory of the origins of SARS-CoV-2, Fauci gave an interesting answer. He did not say “no”. He said, “not on my part”. This has led some to claim that Jordan had cleverly trapped Fauci into perjuring himself. But Anthony Fauci, clearly measuring his words, told the truth. There was indeed a push to suppress the ‘lab leak’ theory, but it did not come from Fauci.
It came from Germany’s ‘star virologist’ Christian Drosten, designer of the ‘gold standard’ SARS-CoV-2 PCR test, and the other members of what I have called the ‘EU crew’ which participated in the discussions of the ‘lab-leak’ theory with their Anglosphere colleagues in the ‘Farrar-Fauci’ e-mails and on the famous February 1st 2020 conference call. This is completely clear from the documentary record, and I showed it in my last article on the subject here.
As we know from the e-mails, when Kristian Andersen came to Anthony Fauci with his suspicions that the virus had been genetically engineered, Fauci’s response was to suggest that Andersen should publish a scientific paper supporting his hypothesis. This is the evidence of Fauci’s involvement cited by the Covid Select committee.
But in what sort of ass-backwards logical universe is telling someone to publish a paper supporting the ‘lab leak’ hypothesis evidence of trying to suppress the ‘lab leak’ hypothesis?
The issue is how that paper eventually became Andersen et al.’s infamous ‘Proximal Origins’ paper, which instead of supporting the ‘lab leak’ hypothesis, rejected it, and supported the opposite hypothesis of a natural ‘zoonotic’ origin. But, as discussed in my previous article, we know full well how this happened from the documentary record. We know who pressured Andersen and his Anglosphere colleagues to recant. It was not Fauci. On Andersen’s recollection, Fauci played no role whatsoever. It was Christian Drosten and his Dutch colleague Ron Fouchier, a well-known practitioner of Gain-of-Function research.
The full ‘EU crew’ consisted of the German virologists Christian Drosten and Stefan Pöhlmann and the Dutch virologists Ron Fouchier and Marion Koopmans. But from the documentary record, we know that it was, above all, Drosten and Fouchier who functioned as the tag-team which pummelled Andersen into submission on the phonecall and in the e-mails. It would be interesting to pinpoint exactly when a weary and confused Andersen finally dropped his hands to his sides and said “no más”, and I will look at this matter another time. (Hint: Pangolins played a role.)
The next major step in the international conspiracy to suppress the “lab-leak” hypothesis was, of course, the infamous WHO investigation, which gave rise to a report which has been widely denounced as a whitewash. As a group pf concerned international scientists (including Alina Chan, but also none other than Ralph Baric!) pointed out in a letter to Science, “Only 4 of the 313 pages of the report and its annexes addressed the possibility of a laboratory accident”.
But, here too, the documentary record clearly shows what a complete non-entity Anthony Fauci was on the international stage and, more specifically, in the international efforts to suppress the hypothesis of a lab-origin of SARS-CoV-2.
Much of the early discussion in the ‘Farrar-Fauci’ e-mails was precisely about the formation of the investigative team, and, encouraged by Farrar, who was directly in touch with the WHO, Anthony Fauci offered his own suggestions for potential team members. See his February 5th 2020 e-mail below.
And here is the list of the team members from the WHO website:
Fauci’s suggestions were totally ignored. Not a single one was accepted.
What about the influence of the German-Dutch ‘EU crew’ and of German and EU authorities more generally? Did they have any better luck with the WHO? Well, even without having access to, say, Christian Drosten’s e-mails or those of Lothar Wieler, the then President of Germany’s public health authority, the Robert Koch Institute, it is completely obvious from the team’s composition that they did.
To start with, one of the members of the ‘EU crew’, Marion Koopmans, was herself part of the WHO team. As touched upon in my ‘The Greatest Story Never Told‘, Koopmans is a key collaborator of Drosten, having co-authored Drosten’s PCR protocol paper, and is also Fouchier’s boss at Erasmus University Medical Centre in Rotterdam as Chair of the Department of Viroscience.
Moreover, if we look at the annexes of the WHO report (see. p. 27f. here), we find that Koopmans played an especially prominent role in the team, being a member of two of the three sub-groups, epidemiology and molecular epidemiology, and indeed the head of the latter.
Note, furthermore, the presence of Fabian Leendertz of none other than Germany’s Robert Koch Institute among the team members. As touched upon in my article here, Leendertz was at the time the head of the RKI’s “Epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms” research group. At the very same time, his boss, then RKI chief Lothar Wieler, would personally lead the WHO committee on reviewing the International Health Regulations in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Imagine if Anthony Fauci had been so well-connected to the WHO and had been able to place one of his deputies – David Morens, say – on the WHO investigative team. But he was not and he could not. Fauci and Morens were outsiders. Wieler and Leendertz were insiders. Both of them, incidentally, are veterinarians and proponents of the ‘One Health’ approach to public health.
It is hardly surprising that the WHO showed such indulgence toward German authorities, given that the chef de cabinet of WHO Director-General Tedros was at the time none other than the German virologist Bernhard Schwartländer. It was “Tedros and Bernhard” who were communicating with Farrar and who presumably blew off Fauci’s suggestions. Schwartländer is currently the German Foreign Office’s ‘Global Health Envoy’. (For more on Schwartländer’s role, see here.)
If we include the team leader, the Dane Peter Ben Embarek (who is not listed above), no less than four of the 11 team members came from the EU. The team not only did not include any of Fauci’s suggestions, it did not include any Americans at all. The team leader, Embarek, and two of the three sub-group leads (Koopmans and Thea K. Fischer) came from the EU. The third sub-group lead was Peter Daszak, the British head of the U.S.-based EcoHealth Alliance, whose involvement in the investigation has been the target of much criticism and accusations of conflict-of-interest.
But why should the involvement of Koopmans be any less controversial? Or, for that matter, the presence of Leendertz, given his and his then boss’s commitment to the ‘One Health’ approach? The ‘One Health’ approach, which Daszak shares, would clearly bias any such investigation, predisposing investigators toward finding a zoonotic origin. This is exactly what transpired, the official brief of the team, as stated here, being “as part of the One Health approach, to identify the zoonotic source of the virus”. No wonder their investigation gave short shrift to the ‘lab leak’ hypothesis!
When the first WHO investigative team was disbanded and then replaced in October 2021 by a follow-up “Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens”, Peter Daszak would not be invited to participate. But Marion Koopmans was. And a new, but somehow familiar, face would join the follow-up group, someone who ought to be a person of great interest to any genuine inquiry into the suppression of the lab leak hypothesis: none other than Christian Drosten.
Robert Kogon is the pen name of a widely-published journalist covering European affairs. Subscribe to his Substack.
To join in with the discussion please make a donation to The Daily Sceptic.
Profanity and abuse will be removed and may lead to a permanent ban.
Bridget Phillipson is an utter disgrace.
Yet another bigoted and profoundly stupid charlatan working for the bigoted and profoundly stupid bureaucrat and charlatan masquerading as PM.
Neither Phillipson nor Stalin are anything like as nice as your descriptions.
What a brilliant takedown.
This should be flagged on the BBC and all MSM.
It won’t be though.
Brave woman!
She knows what she is talking about and she believes in it.
One thing all marxo-fascist governments rely on is unquestioning compliance. With people like Katherine Birbalsingh their power would crumble.
Of course she is completely right.
The entire government consists of a group of clueless, talentless, incompetent, useless individuals.
Starmer, Reeves, Lammy, Phillipson, Milliband – the whole cabal is just an utter embarrassment to Britain.
You missed Rayner, and a few hundred other empty vessels.
Imagine if we had people of that quality running the dept of education…
Wouldn’t it be great if there were no dept of education and all schools were independent paid for by vouchers issued to patents through the tax system.
Can’t have that – far too much choice, people might choose the ‘wrong’ answer!
Hockey sticks at dawn…
…Birbalsingh United 7 – 0 Phillistine Wanderer
“You lucky bas**d it could have been 10”
What Paul Weston said ( and kudos to Katherine for one very fine roasting of one half of the dreadful ‘bob twins’ );
”The greatest problem facing England and the English is that all the people in all the state institutions which control every aspect of our lives are communists, and as such wish to destroy England and the English.”
Something they seem to be managing pretty well, I’d say…
I’m reminded of a recent DT item on Brighton schools, where they plan on bussing pupils miles in direct contradiction of their “active travel” obsession. Hypocrites all.
I love Katherine Birbalsingh (not literally) and her ideas for how schools should operate, but am a bit queasy about her political tone of voice, which allows Labour to dismiss the arguments simply because she is a Tory.
I don’t see where she says she’s a Tory.
Anyway, everything is political, so I don’t think the argument can be avoided and she’s right to raise it. This is a government with a socialist ideology (well, supposedly – who knows what they really think) and they’ve acted accordingly in many areas since taking office. I think it’s great that people are shown that there’s an association with crap education policies and socialism.
Yes education is lousy with politics, especially in WHAT is taught, but HOW it is taught should be based simply on what works.
I’m sure I read somewhere that she denies and has convincingly refuted being a Tory.
It wasn’t in Wikipedia but it’ll do for a start: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katharine_Birbalsingh#Political_views
Perhaps not a Tory but possibly a conservative thinker.
So what if she is – we’d need to be a little more Trump and just brazen these things out, rather than denying – you’ll never please them so why bother, f**k em
I love her literally. What a truly wonderful woman!
Blimey! A man on here who has something positive to say about a woman for a change.
A woman that’s also in a leadership position, no less.
. Your kind are in short supply round these parts.
Here, have one of these
I think you’re a tad too touchy. I’m a woman; I’ve made that clear on many occasions and I don’t see a great deal of anti-woman bigotry.
Not touchy at all, but I’ve been commenting regularly for 3.5+ years now and I speak from extensive experience. Interesting you’re a woman but you never have anything to say in support of women or pipe up when it’s the same names, again and again on here, making disparaging remarks and generally slagging off women in general. Cowardice or a misogynist’s submissive ‘handmaiden’…? Hmmm. Just as well I don’t require anyone to fight my battles for me or have my back around here, isn’t it? Because all there ever is is crickets.
I’ve got your back Mogs
Cheers Liz.
I think women posters are few and far between. The ones who aren’t afraid to share their opinions, whether popular or not, and challenge any sexist bollocks are near non-existant.
Well you know what they say:” Better to die on your feet, a ballsy shield maiden, than live on your knees, a submissive handmaiden.”
It seems some are afflicted with a bad case of wilfull blindness…..
Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/cN7L_cte7PA?si=JByV-kov4ynDEQ6z
Nah! Go for it Katherine these people are playground bullies (as well as communists) and the only language a bully understands is to bully them back they soon cower away. Assume Katherine understands that being a teacher and an outstanding one.
What on earth makes you think she’s a Tory? I would hope she inclines more towards Reform
NOTE FOR MODS:
I am back to two and three times daily log in. Could this be sorted please?
Ditto. It’s a pisser!
Moderator here: please see response above
Moderator here: I’ll pass your messages to the office. Did you receive this message which was sent to you in mid-November, when this happened previously? I didn’t get any response from you:
QUOTE”Ian says: “Hux specifically asked us to prevent him logging in, since he was concerned someone else might have gained access to his account (or something). But he obviously forgot about that! I’ve unblocked him.”
Hopefully that should solve it.
UNQUOTE
My mobile got nicked in Spain. I do not recall asking that my account should be locked. Since the unblocking all has been fine until the last couple of days so something has gone wrong.
It could well be a browser issue. Could you try using a private browsing window and see if it still happens there? Or email me if it continues.
Ok Ian, I will see how it goes. I use Brave browser and have done for years. No issues on any of the other sites I visit.
I couldn’t log in for several months from August last year. I was apparently identified as a ‘bot’! Strangely enough, my subscription went through with no problems immediately before I became a ‘bot’! I have to say that admin did try to get me back on line but nothing worked. Apparently, I’d changed my password but how I did that when I was unable to log in still leaves me bemused. Temporary passwords provided by admin still did not work and each time, after 3 failed attempts, I was locked out for 24 hours! I gave up eventually. I suppose the positive side of me not being able to join in with discussions for several months spared everyone from reading my contributions
I have to log in every time I look at DS , even if it’s within the hour of last being on
Me too. It’s so annoying!
Yes certainly happens more often nowadays and yes annoying.
For what it’s worth I don’t have any issues using on two different Apple devices, login seems to last for 30 ish days I think, then go to comment and have to login again. Worth checking your router settings etc, sometimes the ISP services cause issues, I use opendns for example instead of my ISP’s services, one less thing to go wrong
Step by step marching along the road of dumbing down and not owning anything but being happy. How do we stop these fools?
Katherine and Phillipson is a staggering miscontest
.
What I can’t get over is that Phillipson was so badly prepared. Anyfulekno that Katharine Birbalsingh is not to be messed with.
Clearly assumed she’d be cowed by the majesty of an MP… not. In fact, I think the best way to describe the outcome was ‘the education secretary got her ass kicked’
The “Teaching” Unions and Education Bureaucrats hate Academies as much as they hate Private Schools which the plebs can just about afford to access.
It’s they who are driving the destruction; Phillipson is just their useful Marxist idiot.
Anyone who can afford it should be investing in a private tutor for STEM subjects and making the time to educate their children in neglected/warped subjects such as History, themselves. History is easy; there are so many places to visit which can be used to teach it and they don’t all have to cost much money. Our history is a story: tell it.
Well said indeed. But tbh it doesn’t take the “brain of Britain” to know that these people couldn’t give a tuppenny ha’penny f… about this country or educating its people. They are communists through and through. All they want is their Marxist ideology to be taught everywhere and enforce their dystopian agenda on the world.That is their aim. It needs to be destroyed.
Katharine, I am forwarding your name to Elon Musk with the hope he will forward your name to President Trump. The USA education dept is one big mess. They could sure use a successful leader such as your self. It would mean a move to the USA. Your academy should be a role model for the department of education in this country. Instead you are second guessed at every turn and forced to follow a department of education curriculum and politicians unfit for purpose. I will pray for you and your tremendous school(s).
No no no, we need you here Katharine. Please don’t leave us!
Daily sceptic, do not stop here. Continue to write about Katherine’s successes, support her in every way and question the dept of education’s plans for curriculum, academies and the whole of education in this country! These kids are our FUTURE. Look after them and the people giving them the education they deserve. Thank you.
Birbalsingh should have Phillipsons job..
She’s not shallow enough for that…
I sincerely hope Katharine Biirbalsingh can instil in her students that same ability to think for themselves and speak up when they encounter something that is wrong, unjust or asinine. Like the education secretary herself.
She’s leading by example. I’m sure her pupils can see that and cheer her on from the side lines. What a great role model
Wow. What a great response. I wonder if Phillipson will budge.