Maher accused Fauci of misleading the public about the origins of the virus, which the article said was responsible for over seven million confirmed deaths worldwide. According to Maher, Fauci rejected the idea that the virus could have escaped from a lab even though other scientists were raising concerns. He added that Fauci's diary showed what he was saying to other scientists, who were saying, "No, absolutely." Maher said the pandemic created a racial stigma around the lab leak theory and made the topic seem unacceptable to discuss. Curtis Houck, managing editor of NewsBusters at the Media Research Center, told Fox News Digital that Maher was saying what liberal media figures would not.