incorrect. >> reporter: the study done by an outside contractor was completed but criticized by members of the trump administration is, quote, bending evidence to preconceived notions. the secretary avoided saying whether he thinks the virus leaks from a lab in wuhan, china. senator lindsey graham said those who try to debunk the covid lab leak theory brushed it off for a reason. >> not only did fauci ignore the warnings, on february 19th a couple weeks after the first case, 27 scientists produced a letter shaming those who suggested the lab leak theory calling them conspiratorial, that you are a right wingnut marginalizing donald trump. the media took it and ran and it changed the course of the election because the scientists are tied to this lab and if we could prove it early on in 2020 it was a lab leak coming from china, not occurring naturally, the public would want revenge against china and who would they turn to? biden or trump? >> reporter: the letter senator