pushing back on the idea that it shut down the small state department team at the bureau of arms control and verification that was looking into the origins of the code virus. quote: that reporting is incorrect, spokesman ned pryce said in a statement. in february and march of 2021, the team s findings were briefed to avc and policy planning policy staff in the new administration with the report delivered the work was ended. the national security council is now taking the lead in the investigation. but members of the disbanded team who spoke to fox suggest otherwise. david asher a key member of the team, defended the investigation and said that at the time some state department colleagues, quote: were deliberately playing down possible links to china s biological weapons program adding the acting under secretary for arms control didn t want to delve into the poo tension of accidental lab release let alone one related to a classified chinese military program in violation of the biologica