WASHINGTON — According to a federal watchdog, the Central Intelligence Agency is not fully cooperating with an inquiry into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly regarding the theory that it may have been sparked by a lab mishap.

In a letter obtained by The Post, Intelligence Community Inspector General Christopher Fox asserted that CIA Director John Ratcliffe has not provided essential documents. These records are crucial for investigating claims that the US government might have participated in what a recent agency official described as a “cover-up” related to the pandemic’s beginnings.

The watchdog’s investigation is focused on whether analysts, appointed by then-Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard to analyze alleged intelligence mishaps during President Biden’s tenure, faced obstruction.

Fox has previously sought answers from Ratcliffe regarding allegations that analysts’ digital activities and interactions with whistleblowers were being monitored. To date, he reports he has not received satisfactory responses.

The Inspector General expressed concern over the CIA director’s insistence that there was no evidence of illegal surveillance of the analysts collaborating with Gabbard’s team, known as the Director’s Initiatives Group.

Fox also claimed the CIA was not complying with the federal law that compels the agency to “coordinate” with the IC Office of Inspector General for its oversight of such matters “as appropriate.”

The June 16 letter was sent to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley and laid out Fox’s issues with the CIA after the Iowa Republican drew attention to the “serious” allegations put forward by the agency officer who testified to a Senate committee the month before.

“Americans deserve a full accounting of COVID-19’s origins and the Intelligence Community’s (IC) response, especially whether whistleblowers were unlawfully monitored amid fallout from the virus,” Grassley told The Post.

“I appreciate the IC Inspector General’s ongoing work in this regard. However, it’s very concerning to me that entities within the Intelligence Community are obstructing the Inspector General’s honest efforts to perform a thorough investigation. Sunlight is the best disinfectant; the IC must come clean to the American people.”

Fox’s letter also clashed with Ratcliffe’s public statements regarding the origins of COVID-19. The CIA director has called for further transparency. As former DNI, he had been one of the only officials supporting the theory that the virus emerged from a lab accident in Wuhan, China, in late 2019.

But CIA special operations officer James Erdman III testified to Congress on May 13 that the US Intelligence Community exerted improper influence over assessments of COVID origins — and “illegally monitored” analysts tasked by Gabbard with looking into the matter.

That resulted in a 2023 CIA assessment that refused to take a side on the origins question — despite most of the analysts involved favoring the lab-leak hypothesis.

“Six of the seven technical experts say, ‘Yep, we still think it’s a lab leak,’” Erdman said of their deliberations. “And they were sticking to their guns. Management changed the analytic line.”

In the hearing, Erdman testified to the Senate Homeland Security Committee that Dr. Anthony Fauci and other IC leaders “influenced” the CIA and others involved in COVID intelligence analyses to suppress evidence that the virus most likely resulted from a lab leak in China.

“Dr. Fauci’s role in the cover-up was intentional,” he said, claiming the then-director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) put forward “a conflicted list of curated subject matter experts, public health officials and scientists” to prejudice intelligence assessment products in favor of a natural origin to SARS-CoV-2.

The CIA officer also testified that there “were Americans being spied upon illegally while executing duties directed by the president and under the authority of the Director of National Intelligence” as the DIG conducted a review of the assessments that Fauci and others swayed in 2020 and 2021.

At the time of Erdman’s testimony, a CIA spokesperson accused the Senate committee of having “acted in bad faith by subpoenaing an Agency officer … despite having already obtained closed-door testimony from the individual previously.”

The FBI, Energy Department and other federal officials determined that COVID-19 most likely originated in a lab leak years before the CIA changed its position from neutral.

That January 2025 CIA assessment, which was declassified by Ratcliffe but begun under former President Joe Biden’s spy chief William Burns, made it the third agency to back the lab leak theory.

“One of the things that I’ve talked about a lot is addressing the threat from China on a number of fronts, and that goes back to why a million Americans died and why the Central Intelligence Agency has been sitting on the sidelines for five years in not making an assessment about the origins of COVID,” Ratcliffe told Breitbart News at the time.

“I’ve been on record, as you know, in saying I think our intelligence, our science, and our common sense all really dictates that the origins of COVID was a leak at the Wuhan Institute of Virology,” he said.

Four other agencies including the National Intelligence Council maintain a zoonotic theory of pandemic’s origins — that the highly contagious virus naturally mutated from bats to infect humans, likely via an intermediary like pangolins — is the most likely cause.

As early as May 2020, scientific papers were circulating inside the IC that backed the lab leak theory, but senior National Intelligence Council officers allowed Fauci to “inject himself” into the debate as a subject-matter expert, overruling intelligence analysts, Erdman noted.

A former IC intelligence analyst also told The Post Thursday that “the IC analysts were essentially in lockstep with the WHO’s position, which was the same as the Chinese’s” and that Fauci wasn’t the only “compromised” official who influenced their work.

Ralph Baric, who along with a Wuhan Institute of Virology scientist helped author a “blueprint” for engineering SARS-CoV-2, also consulted for the IC’s Biological Sciences Expert Group.

“It is highly plausible Fauci et al provided synthetic viral capability the Chinese government could use for military purposes,” the ex-intel analyst said, “Baric directly; Fauci indirectly via grants.”

“My concern is,” the ex-intel analyst said, “that I think there is a very pervasive Chinese influence at the IC at different levels,” adding that Fauci and others got “played like a Stradivarius [violin].”

“What needs to be uncovered is who’s driving this natural origin thing and suppressing all this other stuff with the lab leak and why?” the former analyst said.

An April 22 assessment from the IC OIG, which was also obtained by The Post, noted that Fox’s office had recently received new allegations of “conflicts of interest” marring past COVID intelligence products.

That assessment also “identified that external agencies have information IC OIG does not currently possess, and that such information is likely material to a comprehensive assessment of allegations relating to the origin of COVID-19.”

“This special review confirms the existence of serious allegations regarding the integrity of U.S. Government personnel and processes related to the assessment of the origin of COVID-19,” it concluded.

Reps for the CIA did not respond to a request for comment.

A harrowing cellphone video has emerged showing the fatal shooting of a Florida Army veteran during a dispute over a parking spot at a Walmart, officials reported.

The victim, 62-year-old Bart Diguglielmo, was pronounced dead after being shot around 12:28 p.m. on Tuesday in the Walmart parking lot located on West McNab Road in North Lauderdale. The Broward County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the incident.

Authorities revealed that an argument erupted between Diguglielmo and an adult woman over the parking space, escalating into a deadly confrontation.

The woman involved stayed at the scene and cooperated with the authorities. She explained to investigators that she fired the gun in self-defense, according to the statements released by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office.

Her identity has not been released, and homicide detectives said the case will be presented to the Broward County State Attorney’s Office to determine whether criminal charges will be filed.

Authorities have not released additional details about what led to the confrontation or said whether investigators believe the woman’s claim of self-defense. Prosecutors will review the completed investigation before deciding whether charges are warranted.

Video obtained by News Media shows the confrontation leading up to the shooting.

Additional cellphone footage obtained by Local 10 News appears to show Diguglielmo walking toward the woman, who appears to be holding a cellphone in one hand. As he approaches, she raises her other arm, appearing to point a handgun at him. After a brief standoff, a single gunshot rings out.

Footage from another angle, recorded without sound, appears to show Diguglielmo doubling over at the waist before lowering himself to the ground as what appears to be blood becomes visible through the front of his shirt.

A third angle shows the pair engaged in what appears to be an argument after a vehicle pulled out of a nearby parking space. The footage appears to show the woman backing away with the handgun pointed at Diguglielmo as he raises his hands.

The video ends with the woman remaining at the scene until Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived and detained her for questioning.

Diguglielmo was transported to Broward Health Medical Center, where he later died from his injuries, authorities said.

The investigation remains ongoing.

As the buzz around Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s impending nuptials electrifies New York City, Donna Kelce, mother of the groom-to-be, found herself back in the bustling city on Thursday.

The 73-year-old was a picture of humility as she blended with fellow travelers upon landing solo at LaGuardia Airport, mere hours ahead of the couple’s festivities at Madison Square Garden. This appearance comes two months after exclusive reports from the Daily Mail highlighted how Donna and Swift’s mother, Andrea, have been subtly edged out of the wedding planning.

Contrasting sharply with Taylor Swift’s penchant for luxurious travel, always accompanied by her entourage and security, Donna arrived on a commercial flight, wheeling her own suitcase. Her solitary presence at the airport is a stark visual against Swift’s billionaire lifestyle.

With a somber expression, she ventured into the city just hours before the rehearsal dinner at the Infosys Theater inside MSG. It’s been disclosed that the specifics of the wedding itinerary remain a mystery to her.

“They haven’t shared much with Donna; she’s just going with the flow,” a source revealed to the Daily Mail. “They’re informing her only about where and when she needs to be present, and a driver has been arranged for her,” the source added.

‘That’s how it is with everybody, even the people really close to them. When they get to where they need to be, they’re told where they’re going next.

‘So she doesn’t really know a lot about the plans, because she hasn’t been told. I think that’s their way of making sure that things aren’t leaked. Everyone is on a “need to know” basis.

‘I think she likes it that way. It’s not a stress. Travis told her what type of clothes she’d need and basically everything is going to be easy for her. She’s very excited to experience it as it happens, with some mystery along the way.’

It is understood Donna immediately rushed to MSG after landing. 

The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for comment and has yet to hear back.  

While a plethora of A-listers have descended on NYC for the wedding, Travis’s father Ed and brother Jason, along with wife Kylie, have yet to make a public appearance. 

Donna’s solo stroll comes after insiders dished to the Daily Mail on how Swift and Kelce have shut out their parents, instead arranging the big day between themselves and a wedding planner.

‘Both sets of parents are all really happy and think getting married is the right thing for them to do because they’re old school and wanted him to put a ring on Taylor’s finger,’ an insider told us. ‘But none of them are involved in the wedding planning, although surprisingly Travis is.’

‘Taylor’s not the official wedding planner, but most of the ideas are hers. She’s used to taking control. This will be her big day and along with Travis she’ll be the mastermind,’ the source continued.

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‘She literally runs everything past him. If they don’t agree on something, they scrap it.’

The decision may have come as a surprise to both sets of parents who have been so involved in their children’s lives thus far.

Andrea and Scott Swift, who got married in 1988, sold their family home in Pennsylvania and relocated to Nashville in 2004 to support Swift’s dreams of becoming a country star, with both taking active roles in her management.

Meanwhile, Donna and Ed Kelce, who married in the 1970s, have talked openly about staying together for as long as they did before their divorce for the benefit of their boys Travis and retired NFL star Jason, and how they would ‘tag team’ to ensure their sons never missed out on opportunities. 

So dedicated is Donna to her sons’ careers, she once traveled 1,300 miles to see both compete in their respective playoff games on the same day.

And the two families have established close bonds with one another since the Swift-Kelce fairytale.

‘Taylor and Travis are big on family, so when they can have any functions, they want their parents there and they love it,’ said another well-placed insider. ‘Family events are often around the holidays, or when they’re all at a game, they will often go back to the house and eat together. They will continue the family time when they can. They don’t do it every time, because sometimes Travis just wants to go home and relax.’

The insider described the two families as ‘pretty normal’ and claimed ‘everyone gets along.’

When it comes to future mothers-in-law Donna and Andrea, a second insider added: ‘They talk. Together with Taylor they’re all in contact, talking about everyday things, like recipes or a TV show recommendation or plans to hang out. They’re definitely becoming great friends.’ 

Swift and Kelce’s wedding guests have been left in the dark about the exact ceremony location ahead of the couple’s anticipated nuptials.

A source previously claimed that lucky guests who scored an invitation to the big day have not yet been informed of the specific location.

Those who received an invite were told to be in NYC on Thursday and Friday with no other information being provided.

Swift and Kelce are ‘putting their guests on hold for a couple of days,’ the source said, before claiming that they have spent ‘millions’ on the wedding.

An insider informed the Daily Mail in early June that Swift and Kelce had embraced the idea of a ‘spectacle’ wedding and selected Madison Square Garden as the venue.

Sources also previously claimed to the Daily Mail that guests who received an invitation are being required to sign an NDA before receiving information about the wedding. 

Those who RSVP are then sent a link to the agreement, which requires guests not to disclose information about the wedding.

In August 2025, Kelce proposed to Swift in his backyard, which he transformed into a romantic garden. 

She shared photos from the intimate engagement on Instagram with the caption: ‘Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.’

WASHINGTON (AP) — A former Olympic athlete faced indictment on Thursday over a criminal charge related to what President Donald Trump has termed as damage inflicted on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. This incident is amidst a renovation effort that Trump initiated, which has encountered various challenges.

David Hearn, an ex-Olympic canoeist, was formally charged in a Washington, D.C. court with a single count of property destruction.

U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, claimed that Hearn intentionally tore up the recently applied sealant on the pool, describing the act as causing over $1,000 in damage. She alleged that Hearn “forcefully and violently” removed the liner with both hands and behaved aggressively towards an employee who intervened.

“The evidence in this case is substantial,” Pirro stated, noting that approximately six additional misdemeanor arrests have been carried out by authorities.

In response, Norm Eisen, a co-founder of the Democracy Defenders Fund, and Mary Dohrmann, a senior counsel at the Washington Litigation Group, issued a statement. They represent Hearn and denounced the charges as “outrageous,” suggesting that they should cause concern for all Americans. Eisen and Dohrmann argue that the case exemplifies “the misuse of government power against an ordinary citizen based on a fabricated narrative.”

“I’m a curious citizen,” Hearn said in a telephone interview last month. “I reached down to see what it felt like. It was very rubbery.”

Hearn, 67, of Bethesda, Maryland, owned a company that made composite materials used to build watercraft.

Saying that he stopped by the pool during a 64-mile bike ride, Hearn said he was detained by National Guard troops and Park Police for five hours before being released.

Trump said last month that federal authorities made “multiple arrests” of people he accused of vandalizing the Reflecting Pool as he struggled to explain why the $16-million rehabilitation project he launched for the nation’s 250th anniversary seemingly backfired. Without providing any substantiation, he also said vandals dumped fertilizer into the pool and slashed the coating with a box cutter.

In subsequent days, National Guard members and U.S. Park Police patrolled the deck around the Reflecting Pool as Trump’s administration faced a self-imposed deadline to fix a botched renovation before the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration. Contractors and federal workers used chemicals and ozone nanobubbles to combat an algae bloom, and Trump has said that problems most likely require draining the pool again for liner repairs.

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Kinnard reported from Columbia, S.C.