Six Researchers, One Grant, and the Carolina Flu

George Howard and author Jim Haslam sit down for their second in-depth conversation, following their joint attendance at the July 29th Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing where Dr. Anthony Fauci testified under subpoena. Both wore Carolina blue in a nod to George's alma mater, and their appearance drew national television coverage. This is their account of what they know, what they have documented, and what they are actively bringing to the attention of investigators.

Jim Haslam is the author of Covid-19 Mystery Solved and writes the Substack Reverse Engineering the Origins of SARS-CoV-2, which he has published since 2022. He describes himself as a second generation lab leak researcher, pulled in after a 2021 leak by Major Joseph Murphy of a document called Defuse, in which Jim says University of North Carolina professor Ralph Baric proposed constructing a SARS-like genome roughly 25% different from SARS-1 for testing at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Jim's account names a small circle he believes were involved, centred on Ralph Baric in Chapel Hill and Vincent Munster at Rocky Mountain Lab, with researchers Danielle Anderson and Linfa Wang connected through Duke-NUS in Singapore. Jim's central claim is that this was not a deliberate weapon but an accident arising from a self-spreading bat vaccine research program, and that January 10th, 2020, the date the SARS-CoV-2 genome was published, is the bright line after which he believes documented obfuscation began, evidenced by University of North Carolina emails obtained through public records requests showing Baric, Wang, and Peter Daszak discussing how to publicly frame lab leak concerns as a conspiracy theory.

George brings his own perspective as a UNC graduate with institutional ties, describing the personal weight of investigating an alma mater he loves, and notes that reception among fellow alumni has been more supportive than he expected. He and Jim both express frustration that this story, despite its significance now being aired in a Senate committee, has received minimal coverage from local outlets like the Raleigh News & Observer.

George and Jim emphasise this is an active, ongoing investigation being taken seriously by relevant authorities, and this conversation represents Jim's documented research and analysis rather than a final legal conclusion.

CHAPTERS

00:10 Introduction: the Fauci hearing and Jim Haslam's background

02:32 George's connection to the University of North Carolina

03:26 Jim's Substack and how his lab leak theory differs from others

05:08 The Defuse leak and what drew Jim into the investigation

08:00 The six names Jim believes were central to the research

09:29 Introducing Danielle Anderson and her role at the Wuhan BSL-4

13:22 The Defuse grant and the plan to test on wild-caught bats