Ashley Moody calls on Congress to investigate Chinese government

Attorney General Ashley Moody called on Congress Tuesday to investigate the Chinese government’s role in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“We need answers and we need them soon,” said Moody, a Republican. “Americans are dying and millions are losing their jobs. We demand to know whether China lied to the world as the coronavirus rapidly traveled from Wuhan to our shores — infecting and killing thousands along the way.”

In a letter sent to the leadership of the U.S. House and Senate foreign relations committees, Moody joined an orchestra of 17 other state Attorneys General, all probing the possibility that China misled the international community about the severity of the disease.

“What did the Communist Party of China know, when did they know it and why did its members participate in a massive conspiracy to cover up and mislead the international community about the severity and highly contagious nature of the novel coronavirus,” Moody said.

The letters stated that the “layers of deceit” began last year when Chinese health officials and Taiwanese complaints were censored and muzzled.

The letter also described the Chinese government’s actions, in the words of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, as a “classic communist disinformation effort” held in concert with the World Health Organization.

Moody added that China should be held accountable for the “devastation and destruction” caused by COVID-19.

“Tens of thousands have died from the virus and millions have lost their jobs,” the letter said. “Countless businesses, both big and small, will perish and our states will grapple with tough economic decisions for years to come.

Penned by South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, the letters concluded that one state has already filed suit against China and many more are considering legal action.

“Congressional hearings are critical to our Nation’s understanding of the origins of COVID- 19 and efforts by the communist Chinese government to deceive the international community,” Wilson wrote. “We appreciate your consideration of our request and we all stand ready to support and participate in any hearings you choose to conduct.”

The 17 other state Attorneys General include Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia.