Congressman Krishnamoorthi Questions Fauci, Walensky, and Kessler at Coronavirus Select Subcommittee

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08) questioned the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease Dr. Anthony Fauci, Centers for Disease Control Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, and Chief White House Science Advisor Dr. David Kessler about the impact of reckless statements and actions by state officials and media personalities on the continued fight against the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Krishnamoorthi pointed out comments made by Fox News host Tucker Carlson that cast doubt on the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, and asked Dr. Fauci about his back and forth with the media personality.

Question: 'Dr. Fauci, on April 13th Fox News host Tucker Carlson talked about the effectiveness of vaccines on his primetime show and he said quote, 'maybe it doesn't work and they're not telling you that.' On April 14th, yesterday, during the day on CNN you called Carlson's statements a crazy conspiracy theory'… The number one Facebook post today is Tucker Carlson's suggesting [vaccines] don't work….given what [Carlson] has said and what he has posted on Facebook and social media, do believe it advances or sets back our drive to vaccinate the population?'

'His statements are certainly not advancing the cause of trying to get as many people vaccinated as quickly as we possibly can,' said Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Krishnamoorthi then asked about South Dakota Governor Kirsti Noem's reckless policies leading to COVID-19 related deaths in her state and neighboring ones.

When asked about how the Governor Noem said, 'Dr. Fauci is wrong a lot!' Dr. Fauci responded by saying, 'Well at the same time the Governor of South Dakota was saying that, if you look at the number of hospitalizations and deaths per population South Dakota it was way up there… so I don't think that's a good track record.'