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Democrats have questioned an Alexandria consulting company about a contract that has allowed the chief scientific adviser to President Donald Trump’s Operation Warp Speed Moncef Slaoui.
Said contract, according The Washington Post, has allowed Moroccan-born researcher Moncef Slaoui to «maintain personal investments and avoid making ethics disclosures of his holdings in pharmaceutical companies».
In a letter, Democrats asked the firm to «explain its role in providing drug company executive Moncef Slaoui’s services as the chief coronavirus vaccine adviser to the Trump administration for $1».
«It is not at all clear what ADV’s role is in this contract, nor is it clear how it is in the company’s interest to serve as the middleman in a scheme that appears to be designed solely to allow a high-level scientist involved in OWS to avoid addressing his serious financial conflicts of interest», wrote Warren, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.).
An administration official told the same newspaper that the agreement includes «reimbursement of expenses for housing, transportation, and various travel expenses for Slaoui, the person said». «Slaoui’s housing and hotel expenses have reached $17,000 as of Aug. 22», the official added.
I am «very disappointed — or, first, I’ve been very surprised and then extremely disappointed by the fact that having made a decision that has nothing to do with my political motivation or opinion, because I think it’s irrelevant in front of the size of the problem, I made a decision to come and help solve a problem, whoever is the president, whatever is the administration color. And I’m amazed that I’m being attacked on a personal basis», Slaoui said.
For the record, Moroccan doctor Moncef Slaoui, who was appointed last week by Donald Trump to lead the US coronavirus vaccine project, will divest $12.4 million worth of his stock options in pharmaceutical manufacturer Moderna.
The former Moderna executive resigned from his position as member of the company’s board of directors earlier in May after he was appointed by President Donald Trump to co-chair Operation Warp Speed.
