Rand Paul on Fauci’s Deleted Records

Senator Rand Paul, who chairs the Senate’s Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, has come forward with claims that former NIAID head, Anthony Fauci, has deleted public records. Paul suggests there are emails that contradict Fauci’s past testimonies.

In a letter to Fauci, which was highlighted in Breitbart, Paul mentioned the committee’s ongoing investigation into the origins of the coronavirus. He stated that they had collected records and asserted that Fauci allegedly instructed employees at the NIH to destroy federal documentation.

“The Commission on Homeland Security and Government Issues is still delving into the origins of Covid-19 and hazardous life science research,” Paul wrote. “During this investigation, we found a record suggesting you directed NIH employees to erase federal records.”

He continued, “These documents imply a direct attempt to obscure information pertaining to our inquiry, and they seem to contradict your earlier testimony before Congress. Thus, I request more information and formally invite you to clarify your past statements before the committee.”

In his letter, Paul alluded to a June 3, 2024 hearing of the House subcommittee on the coronavirus pandemic, noting, “We will be removing personnel who have not been truthful under oath.”

He recounted instances where Fauci had allegedly denied deleting official records or obstructing the Freedom of Information Act, raising concerns about inconsistencies.

Reports indicate that the committee found an email revealing that high-ranking NIH officials attempted to conceal their records by sidestepping FOIA requests. Private emails suggested that some officials, including Fauci’s longtime advisors, engaged in deleting communications to evade transparency.

Paul pointed out that these findings clash with Fauci’s past testimony, citing emails obtained by the committee. For instance, in a February 2, 2020 email, Fauci asked Dr. Francis Collins to “delete this email after reading it.” Another email from July 20, 2020, contained a message expressing reluctance to engage with what was termed “nonsense.”

Furthermore, Paul requested that Fauci provide documentation on all email communications, including attachments, between January 1, 2018, and January 1, 2023.

Fauci responded, indicating the timeframe for the request and the nature of the communications being sought.

Additionally, reports from May 2024 revealed that emails from Dr. David Morens, an advisor to Fauci, suggested he received guidance on how to delete emails from the NIH’s FOIA office prior to search requests.