Sen. Rand Paul Escalates Accountability Efforts for Anthony Fauci
Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) is intensifying his ongoing efforts regarding Anthony Fauci, the former chief of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). He’s updating referrals to the Department of Justice, possibly paving the way for criminal prosecution.
This development was part of a statement released by the Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs on Monday. It comes amid the recent revelation that Fauci received a presidential pardon from former President Joe Biden through an autopen, leading to some uncertainty about whether Biden personally granted the pardon. Interestingly, Biden has admitted that he didn’t review the numerous amnesties issued during his presidency.
Paul’s earlier criminal referrals stem from his claims that Fauci was not truthful regarding NIH funding for research in Wuhan.
In a letter, Paul recounted Fauci’s earlier testimony: “NIH does not fund gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute.” During later hearings, Paul warned Fauci about the potential legal consequences of lying to Congress and offered him a chance to correct his statement. Fauci, however, denied lying and refused to retract his testimony.
On July 13, 2023, a House subcommittee on the coronavirus pandemic released an email from Fauci dated February 1, 2020. In that email, Fauci expressed concerns that Covid-19 might have been genetically engineered, mentioning that research was happening in Wuhan before the outbreak. He noted, “It is known that scientists at Wuhan University are working on gain-of-function experiments…”
Paul’s letter further emphasizes the need for confirmation that the President personally reviewed or approved the individual pardon. He pointed out that reports indicate White House staff used autopens to issue pardons, which raises serious legal questions about the validity of Fauci’s pardon.
Paul stated, “In July 2023, I referred Dr. Fauci to the Justice Department for lying to Congress. His own email contradicts his sworn testimony.” He also mentioned that if Biden didn’t personally authorize the pardon, then the Department of Justice should investigate and pursue charges like they would against any regular citizen.
Former President Donald Trump has called the use of an autopen for such a significant issue “one of the biggest scandals in decades.” He insisted that Biden likely was not aware of what he was signing and expressed his certainty about that.
