PHOENIX (AZFamily) — A legislative listening to on overseas funding and nationwide safety took a controversial flip when a lawmaker questioned whether Arizona State University could have indirectly funded COVID-19.
During a House Federalism, Military Affairs and Elections Committee listening to, Republican Rep. John Gillette requested, “Just saying, did we fund a portion of COVID through ASU?”
The query got here after greater than half-hour of claims about overseas funding, analysis ties and nationwide safety dangers involving ASU.
Foreign funding considerations
“It’s clear, the U.S. is funding defense-relevant research and is exposing our most vulnerable secrets to the People’s Republic of China through Arizona State University,” Gillette stated throughout the listening to.
In his presentation, Gillette, who represents District 30, pointed to hundreds of thousands of {dollars} in overseas contracts, hundreds of co-authored analysis papers and partnerships with Chinese establishments. He questioned whether the Arizona Board of Regents — the governing physique over the state’s public college system — is correctly vetting overseas cash.
“They have really no control of the money,” Gillette stated. “They don’t know where the money is.”
Pushback from Democratic lawmaker
When the dialogue modified to COVID, one lawmaker pressed again.
“Was it your speculation that ASU had conspired with the Chinese Communist Party to create COVID-19 earlier?” requested Oscar De Los Santos, minority chief and Democratic state consultant for District 11.
“That’s not what I said,” Gillette answered.
The trade comes as Gillette has beforehand confronted criticism for controversial statements — together with posts final 12 months the place he used profanity whereas referring to Muslims as “savages” and accused Muslim immigrants of undermining the United States.
He additionally stated a U.S. lawmaker was calling for the federal government to be overthrown and must be hanged.
Now Democratic lawmakers are condemning the remarks and calling for fact-based dialogue. “He has a history and record of lies and violence,” stated Rep. De Los Santos. “As elected officials and leaders, we have a responsibility to lead with transparency and honesty and integrity. He did none of that. There was zero evidence.”
Sen. Analise Ortiz echoed an identical sentiment. “It is deeply unserious and it’s also irresponsible,” she stated. “ASU is a crucial university that does all types of research that is really important to the state of Arizona, to the country, and to the world. We are talking about research that saves people’s lives.”
Gillette supplied the next assertion: “My question during the hearing was a direct response to the testimony provided by the subject-matter expert. When the witness raised serious research questions regarding bioweapons, China, and research activity connected to Wuhan, it was entirely appropriate for me to ask clarifying questions about whether any Arizona-based institutions had been involved in related research or funding.
Legislative oversight requires asking difficult and sometimes uncomfortable questions, especially when public funds, public institutions, and public safety intersect. That is what the legislative process is designed for. My inquiry was not an accusation – it was a logical follow-up based on the information presented in real time during the hearing.
Any suggestion that I implied ASU was responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic is simply incorrect. My responsibility is to ensure transparency and accountability, and that includes examining whether Arizona taxpayer dollars supported research connected to topics that would implicate national security.”
Gillette didn’t present proof linking ASU to the creation or funding of COVID-19 and neither did the witness who spoke about bioweapons, China and analysis.
The college didn’t reply to the allegations.
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