Republican Sen. Rand Paul is turning up the heat on Dr. Anthony Fauci, demanding criminal charges for alleged lies to Congress about COVID-19 research, as the Daily Mail reports. The Kentucky Republican’s latest move follows a controversial preemptive pardon from former President Joe Biden, signed with an autopen, raising eyebrows about its legitimacy. Paul is not backing down, and he’s taking the fight straight to the Trump Department of Justice.
Paul’s investigation zeroes in on Fauci’s role in the U.S. response to COVID-19 and the murky origins of the virus. Since 2021, he’s been grilling Fauci, particularly about U.S.-funded research in Wuhan, China. The senator claims Fauci’s testimony reeks of deception, a charge that’s now fueling a renewed criminal referral.
Fauci testified before the Senate in 2023, denying any wrongdoing. “I have never lied before Congress,” he declared, swatting away accusations of misconduct. Paul, unimpressed, insists Fauci’s statements clash with evidence about risky virus experiments.
Paul’s 2023 criminal referral to the Justice Department accused Fauci of perjury. “This directly contradicts everything he said in committee,” Paul posted on X, calling Fauci’s denials about gain-of-function research a flat-out lie. The senator’s been stonewalled on details about who greenlit the Wuhan projects, only stoking his resolve.
Last month, Paul told the Daily Mail that he is gearing up to subpoena Fauci. He’s laser-focused on uncovering what Fauci knew about controversial experiments tied to the pandemic’s origins. The Senate investigation, Paul says, is about getting answers Americans deserve.
Biden’s exit from office brought a twist: a preemptive pardon for Fauci, signed via autopen. Legal scholars confirm the Constitution doesn’t mandate a president’s personal signature for pardons. Still, Republicans, smelling a rat, have slammed the autopen’s use for months.
A New York Times report revealed that Biden didn’t personally approve every pardon in his final months. Instead, he says he set criteria for clemency, leaving the details to others. This hands-off approach has Paul crying foul, arguing it undermines accountability.
“If the President didn’t authorize this pardon personally, then the Department has a duty to investigate,” Paul posted on X Monday. He’s now reissuing his criminal referral to the Trump-led Justice Department, betting on tougher scrutiny. The autopen, he suggests, is a convenient dodge for a questionable decision.
Theo Wold, a Heritage Foundation fellow, testified last month that dozens of clemency warrants, including Fauci’s, bore the autopen’s mark. Wold noted Biden was in Washington, D.C., when some were signed, implying he could’ve used a pen himself. The revelation has conservatives questioning Biden’s commitment to transparency.
President Donald Trump, never one to mince words, called the pardon scandal a “tremendous” outrage during a Monday press conference. “I guarantee you he knew nothing about what he was signing,” Trump said, painting Biden as a bystander in his administration. The comment landed like a jab at Biden’s leadership.
Biden, per the New York Times, claimed that “every decision” was his, but the autopen tells a different story. Critics argue it’s a symptom of a presidency too eager to shield allies like Fauci. The progressive agenda, they say, thrives on such bureaucratic sleight of hand.
Paul’s push for a subpoena faces hurdles, as legal experts note that enforcing one depends on the Justice Department’s appetite for contempt charges. Fauci could challenge it in court, dragging out the process. Still, Paul’s not deterred, vowing to keep the pressure on.
The Senate probe is digging into U.S.-funded research in Wuhan, where COVID-19’s origins remain a hot-button issue. Paul’s after the names of those who authorized the experiments, but access has been denied. It’s a classic case of government opacity, he argues, shielding the truth from taxpayers.
“Perjury is a crime. And Fauci must be held accountable,” Paul posted on X, doubling down on his mission. His supporters see this as a fight against entrenched elites who dodge scrutiny. The left, meanwhile, dismisses it as a political witch hunt.
With Trump back in the Oval Office, Paul’s referral might find a more receptive audience. The autopen pardon, judicial precedent or not, smells like a cover-up to conservatives wary of Fauci’s influence. As Paul’s investigation rolls on, the clash over truth and accountability is far from over.
