A former top federal health official has blatantly denied censorship of the COVID-19 lab leak theory.
Carrie Wolinetz, former chief of staff at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), made an astounding assertion during a July 11 Senate Homeland Security hearing. In response to a question from Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), Wolinetz denied the existence of lab leak theory-tied censorship during the pandemic. Her comments directly contradict evidence showing that Facebook targeted the theory and those who supported it.
“Do you regret your role in helping censor millions of Americans who were kicked off social media, who were disciplined at work for saying ‘maybe a lab was involved?’” Hawley asked, as reported by Reclaim the Net.
In response, Wolinetz said, “I don’t believe censorship took place, sir.” As Hawley responded in astonishment, “What world are you living in?”
Indeed, during a June Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic hearing, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) cited evidence refuting Wolinetz’s recent claim. “In our study on the censorship of the Biden Administration working with Big Tech, I want to read you a WhatsApp message from Mark Zuckerberg: ‘Can we include that the [Biden] White House put pressure on us to censor the lab leak theory,’” Jordan read, speaking to former NIH official Dr. Anthony Fauci.
He added, “Here’s another email to Mark Zuckerberg, it says subject line, ‘COVID misinformation Wuhan Lab Leak Theory. In response to public pressure and tense conversations with the new administration, we started removing five COVID claims, including the lab leak theory.’ Mr. Zuckerberg responds, ‘This seems like a good reminder that we compromise our standards due to pressure from an administration in either direction we often later regret it.’”
Wolinetz was testifying in relation to NIH’s suppression of key information during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Conservatives are under attack. Contact your representatives and demand that Big Tech be held to account to mirror the First Amendment while providing transparency, clarity on so-called “hate speech” and equal footing for conservatives. If you have been censored, contact us using MRC Free Speech America’s contact form, and help us hold Big Tech accountable.
