Republicans demand criminal investigation into key figure in the COVID origins scandal for his links to gain of function research in Wuhan: 'This is the closest we will get to questioning a Chinese spy'

Republicans are demanding a criminal investigation into a key figure in the COVID origins scandal for his links to gain of function research in Wuhan and repeated rejections that the virus came from lab.

EcoHealth Alliance President Dr. Peter Daszak - who received federal funding for coronavirus research in Wuhan, China, before the COVID-19 pandemic - will be pressed Wednesday by Republicans.

Daszak is thought to have critical knowledge about the Wuhan Institute of Virology's (WIV) extensive coronavirus efforts before the outbreak of COVID-19 - and the GOP wants answers. 

On Wednesday, ahead of a Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic hearing with Daszak, the body released a report calling for a criminal investigation into the scientist and EcoHealth for violating his government grant agreements and legal reporting requirements. 

'Peter Daszak is the closest this committee will ever get to questioning a Chinese spy,' Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, who sits on the committee, exclusively told DailyMail.com in a statement.

 'His direct role in providing funding for the Wuhan Lab and his lies and personal involvement in the COVID cover up that followed were directly responsible for the public health and economic disaster that followed.'

EcoHealth Alliance President Dr. Peter Daszak (Left) with former NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci (Right)

Daszak has long studied coronaviruses and sought U.S. government funding for research in collaboration with the WIV and NIAID well before the COVID-19 pandemic began

'As the saying goes, 'follow the money' and the money was flowing directly from Dr. Fauci and the NIH to Daszak's EcoHealth Alliance and his gain-of-function research,' Jackson continued. 'This IS where COVID originated and this IS who funded it!' 

Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Ga., told DailyMail.com exclusively ahead of Wednesday's hearing, 'I want to confront him on the way that he got refunded for his research.'

He claimed that Daszak's gain of function research was fully refunded by the U.S. 

In addition, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., previewed to DailyMail.com that she is looking forward to Daszak's answers on why EcoHealth was awarded U.S. government funding in the first place. 

'Why are we the American taxpayers giving money to EcoHealth,' she said. 'If you're subletting some of these grants to different organizations, you should know what they're doing with the money.'

When reached for a comment about the committee's call for a criminal investigation into Daszak and EcoHealth, a company spokesperson told DailyMail.com: 'We did not have access to the SSCP report until it was released this morning. Dr. Daszak will respond to the Committee's questions at the hearing.' 

Last month, Daszak was accused of helping a top aide of Dr. Anthony Fauci - David Morens - subvert federal transparency laws by communicating on nongovernmental accounts, saying 'we'll communicate with you via Gmail from now on.'

The EcoHealth founder then mentioned having '15,000 samples in freezers in Wuhan,' that could help them 'do the full genomes of 700+ [coronaviruses].' 

On Wednesday, Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic Chairman Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, will grill Daszak on his correspondence with Morens, Fauci and the WIV regarding COVID-19 origins.

Wenstrup sent a subpoena to Morens demanding he turn over documents from his personal email account about COVID-19, coronavirus grant funding and his communications with Fauci and former NIH Director Francis Collins, among other top health officials. 

He was expected to receive those materials from the former Fauci aide Tuesday ahead of the Daszak's hearing the following day.

The Ohio Republican previously said a whistleblower provided him the materials indicating Morens' use of his personal email.

WHO team member Peter Daszak leaves his hotel after the World Health Organization (WHO) team wrapped up its investigation into the origins of the COVID-19 coronavirus in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province on February 10, 2021

Morens was a senior advisor to former NIAID director Dr. Anthony Fauci during the pandemic, and according to his LinkedIn account he still works there in the same capacity

Another email shows Morens appearing to disclose Fauci's attempts to provide 'damage control' for EcoHealth.

'Tony is now fully aware I think and is I am told involved in some sort of damage control,' Morens told Daszak. 

Republicans previously revealed that EcoHealth and the WIV, in partnership with NIAID, submitted a proposal to federal officials seeking funding to create a novel coronavirus in 2018. 

And Wenstrup has accused EcoHealth of using taxpayer dollars 'to fund dangerous gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.' 

'These emails raise serious concerns about federal health officials potentially covering up the pandemic’s origin,' Wenstrup stated previously.  

The subject line of one of the messages between Morens' personal email and EcoHealth's Daszak includes a reference to a National Institute of Health (NIH) grant proposal that provided $661,980 for a 2019 project titled 'Understanding the Risk of Bat Coronavirus Emergence.' 

Another subject line from his personal email reads 'COVID-19 update (312): China, SARS-CoV2 origin, animal reservoir, WHO mission,' indicating the two were discussing the origins of the disease.

A third email from Morens had a subject line that referenced 'our suspended R01,' possibly indicating that funding for the bat coronavirus research project was stopped at some point. 

However, during his transcribed interview with the Select Subcommittee in January, Morens 'denied deleting any federal COVID-19 origins records,' according to the lawmaker.

EcoHealth, run by Daszak, in partnership with the Wuhan Institute sought federal funding for gain of function research

Morens also admitted previously to the committee in a closed interview that 'I will delete anything I don’t want to see in the New York Times.'

'I always try to communicate over gmail because my NIH email is FOIA’d constantly,' Morens told the committee at the time.