White House blocks Fauci from testifying before Congress but says testimony will come at 'appropriate time'
The White House has blocked Dr. Anthony Fauci from testifying before Congress as part of a hearing on the Trump administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. Democrats had invited Fauci, who heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, to appear before the House Appropriations subcommittee next week, but the committee spokesman, Evan Hollander, said Friday that the White House had blocked the move. “The Appropriations Committee sought Dr. Anthony Fauci as a witness at next week's Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee hearing on COVID-19 response. We have been informed by an administration official that the White House has blocked Dr. Fauci from testifying,” Hollander said in a statement. White House deputy press secretary Judd Deere confirmed the move in a Friday statement to the Washington Examiner. Despite the block, he said that the White House would be working with lawmakers “to offer testimony at the appropriate time.” “While the Trump Administration continues its whole-of-government response to COVID-19, including safely opening up America again and expediting vaccine development, it is counter-productive to have the very individuals involved in those efforts appearing at Congressional hearings,” Deere said. “We are committed to working with Congress to offer testimony at the appropriate time.” As of Friday evening, more than 1 million people in the United States have been infected during the coronavirus, and almost 65,000 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/white-house-blocks-fauci-from-testifying-before-congress-but-says-testimony-will-come-at-appropriate-time