SouthernWorldwide.com – A CIA whistleblower has made explosive claims that the Biden administration allegedly suppressed an analysis indicating a lab leak as the most probable origin of the COVID-19 pandemic.
James Erdman III, a veteran of the CIA with two decades of service, testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Chairman Rand Paul, R-Ky., highlighted that Erdman chose to speak out at “great personal risk,” emphasizing that “government secrecy cannot become government impunity.”
Erdman’s testimony was subpoenaed by Paul’s oversight panel. He had previously been interviewed in a classified setting. For the past year, Erdman worked in a joint capacity with the Director of National Intelligence’s Director’s Initiatives Group (DIG) to investigate the origins of COVID-19.
“According to his testimony, CIA scientific analysts concluded multiple times between 2021 and 2023 that a lab leak was the most likely origin of COVID-19,” Paul stated in his opening remarks. He further elaborated that these conclusions were never incorporated into the official narrative or intelligence reports, and Congress was never informed.
Paul suggested that the outgoing Biden administration directed the CIA to issue an assessment only after the 2024 election. He argued this was not based on new intelligence but rather a “cleanup operation” to allow officials to claim no further findings were available as they left office.
Erdman’s public testimony occurred despite significant opposition from the CIA, which characterized the hearing as “political theater.” CIA spokeswoman Liz Lyons stated that the committee acted in “bad faith” by subpoenaing an agency officer without prior notification, especially since they had already obtained closed-door testimony from him.
Lyons further claimed that Erdman was testifying in response to the subpoena, not as a whistleblower seeking truth. Carol Thompson, Erdman’s attorney, acknowledged her client’s concerns about potential retaliation from the CIA but declined to provide further comment.
Following Erdman’s testimony, several Republican lawmakers called for former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Director Dr. Anthony Fauci to face criminal prosecution. They alleged he sought to suppress the origins of COVID-19.
When asked by Paul if the CIA had downplayed the lab leak likelihood, Erdman stated, “It was significantly influenced by Anthony Fauci, injecting himself into the IC [intelligence community].” Senator Josh Hawley echoed this sentiment, stating, “I hope he’s indicted.”
The hearing took place shortly after a statute of limitations deadline for Fauci to face criminal charges related to his testimony had passed. Paul reiterated his commitment to holding Fauci accountable, stating on social media that he would not let up, regardless of the Department of Justice’s decision.
Paul has consistently advocated for Fauci’s indictment, alleging he lied to Congress about gain-of-function research in Wuhan, China, connected to the pandemic. Fauci has vehemently denied these accusations. Paul confirmed he had submitted multiple criminal referrals for Fauci to the Justice Department and expressed hope they would be pursued.
The article also references a preemptive pardon issued to Fauci by former President Joe Biden just before the end of his term. While President Donald Trump declared this pardon void due to its use of an autopen, his administration has not yet formally contested it in court.
In related developments, Dr. David Morens, a former senior advisor to Fauci, was indicted last month on federal charges for allegedly concealing the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. He is accused of hiding emails related to the investigation.
Several Republican lawmakers who have been persistent in seeking answers about the pandemic’s origins criticized the CIA’s characterization of the hearing as politically motivated and aimed at undermining the president. CIA spokeswoman Lyons had described the proceeding as “dishonest political theater” and stated that efforts to undermine the lab leak conclusion were “disingenuous.”
The CIA’s strong statement was seen as a notable instance of internal Republican disagreement, particularly between the Trump administration and the Republican-controlled Senate. Senator Ron Johnson, R-Wis., forcefully rejected the “political theater” label, expressing years of frustration with agencies like the CIA, Department of Justice, and FBI for evading oversight.
Paul also countered the CIA’s objections to Erdman’s public testimony, asserting that “Closed-door testimony doesn’t provide oversight. Public testimony provides oversight.”
Senate Republicans on the committee expressed disappointment that their Democratic colleagues did not attend the hearing. Senator Gary Peters, D-Mich., the ranking Democrat on the panel, and the other six Democratic members were absent. Johnson remarked on the lack of curiosity from Democrats regarding the “deep state.”
Senator Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, suggested that Democrats deliberately skipped the hearing to avoid confronting policy missteps during the pandemic. He argued that decisions made during COVID-19 had profound, long-lasting negative impacts on American society, including the economy and individual lives.
Erdman further alleged that the CIA actively obstructed his group’s investigation into COVID origins, while simultaneously spying on and retaliating against whistleblowers. He testified that the CIA failed to comply with lawful oversight during the DIG’s investigation and refused to provide necessary information regarding violations of analytic standards.
Erdman claimed that the CIA illegally monitored DIG personnel and their communications with whistleblowers. He described this as Americans being illegally spied upon while performing duties directed by the president and authorized by the Director of National Intelligence.
The alleged retribution included the firing of a contractor who had cooperated with investigators. Erdman’s attorney, Carol Thompson, expressed hope that her client’s testimony would encourage other whistleblowers to come forward and expose the CIA’s alleged obstruction of investigators.
Thompson stated, “There has been obstruction by those intelligence agencies, precluding those individuals from being able to conduct the investigation.”
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Senator Hawley characterized the situation as a “systematic effort to violate the laws of Congress, to lie to the American people, to mislead the American people. And it’s still going on.” He questioned the preservation of the country if individuals disregard laws and openly mislead the public.
