Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) called for former White House chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci “to be held accountable” in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic on Friday.
The Florida governor was visiting Iowa promoting his new book, The Courage to be Free, when he claimed “the elites were wrong” about numerous things pushed during the pandemic, including lockdowns, mask mandates, closing schools, and denying natural immunity. Among the things “the elites” were wrong about, and “indeed they lied,” was the theory that COVID-19 originated from a lab leak, according to the New York Post.
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“They said it was natural — we know it came from that lab,” said DeSantis. “And I think we need some accountability here. Fauci needs to be held accountable. All these agencies. The CCP.”
DeSantis’s comments on Fauci mirror statements he made on Feb. 28 during an appearance on Fox News, when he said Fauci “needs to be held accountable.” During his television appearance, one of the things DeSantis said Fauci was wrong about was the COVID-19 vaccine when Fauci said, “you wouldn’t get COVID if you took it.”
DeSantis rose to prominence in both the Republican Party and the political landscape amid the COVID-19 pandemic for taking a stand against mandates for both masks and vaccines.
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On Friday, the House of Representatives voted unanimously on the COVID Origins Act, which would force the Biden administration to declassify all information it has gathered on the origins of COVID-19 as questions remain on whether the virus originated in nature or as a result of a lab leak in Wuhan, China. The Senate already unanimously passed it on March 1, meaning the bill will head to President Joe Biden‘s desk for signature. Biden has not yet indicated whether he would veto the legislation.
DeSantis is seen by many as a strong contender for the Republican Party’s candidate in the 2024 presidential elections, though he has yet to announce if he will actually run. As of Saturday, the Republicans who have declared their candidacy include former President Donald Trump, former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.
