Trouble for the Tarheels

Unpacking Truth

My writings have been few and far between recently because it feels like the space for COVID truth has been quite adequately filled by some very amazing researchers, journalists and physicians. I do not want to overwhelm your inboxes and will send out pieces sparingly that deserve more attention than they may otherwise be receiving as we continue to Unpack Truth.

A good friend shared THIS article with me yesterday. For most of you, none of this information will come as any great surprise, nor will the response of UNC to deny the request shock you.

The University of North Carolina is asking a judge to block the release of documents related to the research of Dr. Ralph Baric, a pioneer in the world of dangerous gain-of-function virus research.

UNC is being sued by U.S. Right To Know, a nonprofit watchdog that works to expose wrongdoing by corporations and governments in the healthcare space, for documents related to Baric’s research while working at the university. While some documents have been turned over during the course of the coronavirus pandemic, UNC filed a motion to dismiss late last week seeking to prevent the release of some documents being sought by USRTK.

Gary Ruskin @garyruskin

We are suing to compel the University of North Carolina to hand over Ralph Baric documents possibly related to the origins of Covid-19: usrtk.org/wp-content/upl… Here is @UNC's reply brief to try to block further release of documents: usrtk.org/wp-content/upl…

USRTK opted to sue after UNC refused to turn over certain documents sought via public records requests, citing a research exception under the Public Records Act. The organization has filed 13 public records requests on the work done by Ralph Baric, Toni Baric and Lishan Su. The university failed to turn over any documents after a February mediation session.

“The University of North Carolina, as an institution of higher learning, should help the public to learn everything that can be learned about the pandemic and its origins, and not try to obscure or bury such lessons,” Gary Ruskin, executive director of USRTK, told the Daily Caller. “We don’t really know why UNC is trying to keep these Baric documents secret, even though there is worldwide interest in them. We do know that Ralph Baric was a close collaborator with the Wuhan Institute of Virology. We also know that Baric was on the DARPA DEFUSE proposal, which in retrospect reads something like a how-to guide for creating SARS-CoV-2.”