Congressional Republicans erupted on Twitter Sunday afternoon after the U.S. Energy Department reportedly assessed that the COVID-19 pandemic likely originated from an accidental lab leak in China.
The Energy Department, which was previously undecided on the origin of the pandemic, now joins the FBI’s stance that the coronavirus likely spread due to a mishap at a Chinese laboratory, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a classified intelligence report recently provided to the White House and key members of Congress.
The lab leak theory, or the theory that the virus came from a lab leak at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan, China, was widely dismissed as a conspiracy theory and “misinformation” by Democrats, major news outlets, scientists and social media companies in the early stages of the pandemic.
Now, Republicans are calling for accountability from the Chinese Communist Party as evidence mounts that it is to blame for the pandemic.
Re. China’s lab leak, being proven right doesn’t matter.
What matters is holding the Chinese Communist Party accountable so this doesn’t happen again.
— Tom Cotton (@TomCottonAR) February 26, 2023
Both the Washington Post and the New York Times had accused Cotton of repeating a “fringe theory” when he mentioned the lab leak possibility back in February 2020. The Post issued a correction to one of its stories more than a year after calling the theory “debunked.”
The elites and academics owe everyone who had legitimate questions and concerns about the origins of COVID an apology.
The American people deserve to see all the information concerning the Chinese lab leak and the origins of COVID. This won’t be forgotten. pic.twitter.com/hKARnyNgab
— Rep. Ken Buck (@RepKenBuck) February 26, 2023
4 🤡’s for Glenn. https://t.co/587JmvrIOE pic.twitter.com/K0pO6BPvxp
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) February 26, 2023