Tony's Diary Package — page 829

ar: tH 1s Days Very important essay by Peter Hotez: PLoS Biol/Hotez: Mounting antiscience aggression in the United States https://bit.ly/3lbsKXF We had a briefing today from the house Select Committee on COVID-19 chared by representative Clyburn. It was supposed to be limited to a discussion on the delta variant. However, it was clear that when the Republicans were allowed to ask questions they went off the subject and started to ask questions about infections coming over the border from Mexico. In typical fashion Jim Jordan asked me if I was a member of the P3CO oversight committee when in fact there is no such a thing as a P3 CO oversight committee. We have an executive committee of which I am not a member. Fortunately, even though I did not know what he was talking about, I said that I was not a member. He then asked for a list of the members. Since I really didn't know what he was talking about I said that I would get him that list. As it turns out, this is a list that HHS does not want to make public. HHS will get back to him and explain that to him. Obviously, he will make a big deal about this publicly. The Republicans in the Congress as well as Fox News continue to attack me viciously. I was particularly disappointed today to read Newt Gingrich whom I have always liked and respected came out and said that it was time for me to retire. He said that although I have had an illustrious career, I am trying to defend the indefensible. I am really not sure what he meant by that. Did he mean that I was defending gain of function research or did he mean that I was defending the CDC's masking guideline? As Peter Hotez said in the article above, no one is stepping up in the scientific community to defend me since they are afraid of being threatened by this extreme group that seems to be very well organized. Went to a book signing party add the home of Adrienne Arsh. The book is "I alone can fix it " bye Phil Rucker and Carol Leonnig. The Super a list from Washington DC was there. It was a little bit uncomfortable since I was wearing a mask with the new guidance from the CDC and almost everyone else was without a mask. When they saw me with a mask , several of them put a mask on.