Democrats blast Republicans for ‘fueling a political agenda’ with Covid report and push back on lab leak claim

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. In a 60-page report released on Tuesday, Democrats on the Republican-led House Select Subcommittee on the Coroanvius Pandemic chastised their GOP colleagues for concluding that the virus “likely” originated from a laboratory in Wuhan, China, baselessly accusing Dr. Anthony Fauci of trying to cover up the virus’ origins, and downplaying the efficiency of masks. open image in gallery Dr. Fauci testified to the House subcommittee – which became contentious at times But Democrats accused the Republicans of abandoning their shared goal to “prevent and prepare for future pandemics” in order to advance “a political agenda.” “Select Subcommittee Republicans spent the 118th Congress advancing a political agenda that has contributed little to the essential work of getting ahead of future public health crises and saving future lives,” Democrats wrote in their report. While the Republican report concluded Covid “likely emerged because of a laboratory or research-related accident,” the Democratic report said that could not be confirmed and arguments were “largely circumstantial.” open image in gallery Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo was accused of covering up the number of nursing home deaths in his state during the pandemic “Republicans’ investigation did not uncover the origins of Covid-19 — Both pathways remain plausible and we are more or less where we started,” the Democratic report concluded. “They failed to shed additional light on the origins of SARS-CoV-2—and instead advanced baseless attacks on Dr. Fauci and other public health professionals and further eroded in public trust in our nation’s scientists and public health officials.” There are a few points the parties agreed on, as both believe New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and his executive chamber may have tried to cover up the number of nursing home deaths related to Covid-19.