What evidence suggests there was a cover-up regarding COVID-19's origins, and why did the lab versus natural origin debate become so politicized?

According to Representative Brad Wenstrup, whistleblowers provided intelligence committee testimony revealing that China engaged in a cover-up regarding COVID-19's origins, specifically preventing WHO investigators from conducting proper investigations. The discussion highlights how the debate between laboratory origins versus natural origins became highly politicized, with implications for gain-of-function research oversight and government transparency. This politicization has complicated efforts to establish clear facts about the pandemic's beginnings and affected public health policy decisions.