Fauci blames Marjorie Taylor Greene for family death threats

During a tense hearing on the pandemic before the Republican-led House of Representatives, Dr. Anthony Fauci was asked about the origins of COVID-19 and the government’s response.

During this session, he claimed that Marjorie Taylor Greene’s malicious comments towards him were responsible for the death threats he and his family have received since the pandemic began.

In his first public appearance since leaving government in 2022, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases was the subject of a confrontational and emotional hearing on Capitol Hill as he faces partisan adversity.

Georgia’s controversial representative, Marjorie Taylor Greene, adopted a particularly aggressive attitude during her question period on the first day of the hearings, going so far as to refuse to acknowledge Fauci’s medical qualifications and to refer to him as “Mr. Fauci” rather than “Doctor Fauci”. Dr. Fauci responded to the representative by stating that it was this type of comment that had led to numerous death threats against him in connection with these events.

These hearings focus on the origins of the virus, on certain political measures relating to the pandemic, such as guidelines for social distancing, mandatory vaccination and the wearing of masks by children, and also on certain theories that have been circulating, such as that of the laboratory leak.

Republican members of the committee expressed skepticism about the policies promoted by Dr. Fauci, arguing that they were not based on solid scientific evidence.

For their part, the Democratic members of the committee called Dr. Fauci an American hero and vigorously condemned the hostile questions directed at him, deeming them totally irresponsible.

During his speech, Dr. Fauci revealed that he had received serious death threats aimed not only at himself, but also at his wife and daughters. The severity of these threats has necessitated ongoing protection. Fauci also mentioned that these threats had had disastrous repercussions on his health. Two individuals have been arrested in connection with the threats.

The sharp contrast between Republicans and Democrats at this hearing underlines the continuing political divisions over the management of the COVID-19 pandemic.