Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) mocked Washington Post fact-checker Glenn Kessler on Sunday over the release of a new U.S. intelligence report that shows that one federal agency believes that the coronavirus pandemic originated from a Chinese lab leak.
The U.S. Energy Department concluded that the origin of the pandemic was likely a lab leak in Wuhan, China, The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday. The FBI also believes that the pandemic originated from a Chinese lab leak.
The conclusion was the result of newly discovered intelligence “and is significant because the agency has considerable scientific expertise and oversees a network of U.S. national laboratories, some of which conduct advanced biological research,” the report added.
Back in May 2020, Cruz responded to a tweet from Kessler that claimed that it was “doubtful” the pandemic originated from a lab leak.
“‘Amazing’ is definitely right word for this video. WaPo ‘abandoning all pretenses of journalism to produce CCP propaganda’ would be another way to put it,” Cruz responded. “If this reporter submitted this video in a freshman logic class, it wouldn’t receive a passing grade.”
Cruz proceeded to post a lengthy thread explaining everything that was known at the time.
“I fear @tedcruz missed the scientific animation in the video that shows how it is virtually impossible for this virus jump from the lab,” Kessler responded at the time. “Or the many interviews with actual scientists. We deal in facts, and viewers can judge for themselves.”
Cruz responded to the tweet on Sunday with a screenshot of The Wall Street Journal report, which featured the title, “Lab Leak Most Likely Origin of Covid-19 Pandemic, U.S. Agency Now Says.”
“4 🤡’s for Glenn,” Cruz responded.
4 🤡’s for Glenn. https://t.co/587JmvrIOE pic.twitter.com/K0pO6BPvxp
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) February 26, 2023
Steve Guest, Special Advisor for Communications for Cruz, also hit Kessler online over the new report, calling it “Kessler’s BIGGEST MISS ever.”
Documenting Glenn Kessler’s BIGGEST MISS ever:
Today, the Wall Street Journal reported, “Lab Leak Most Likely Origin of Covid-19 Pandemic.”
But in 2020, Kessler tweeted: “I fear @tedcruz missed the scientific animation in the video that shows how it is virtually impossible for… https://t.co/j7PILxmWGk pic.twitter.com/10GQYmXsex
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) February 26, 2023
