Rand Paul Renews Criminal Probe of Fauci after Legitimacy of Biden's Autopen Pardon is Questioned

Senator Rand Paul (KY-R) has reignited his campaign to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci accountable for his actions during the Coronavirus pandemic, announcing a renewed push to urge the Department of Justice under President Donald Trump to launch a criminal investigation into the former public health official. Paul accuses Fauci of perjuring himself before Congress, a charge that carries potential penalties of up to five years in prison and criminal fines.

“Today, I will reissue my criminal referral of Anthony Fauci to the Trump DOJ!” Paul declared on X on Monday. “Perjury is a crime. And Fauci must be held accountable.”

Paul’s latest move follows a revealing New York Times report that raised questions about former President Joe Biden’s clemency decisions. The report confirmed that Biden did not personally approve every individual granted clemency, despite the former president’s claim, “I made every decision.” Fauci was among those who received a preemptive pardon, complicating Paul’s pursuit of legal action.

Paul’s accusations stem from Fauci’s testimony in May 2021, during which the doctor told the senator that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) “has not ever and does not now fund gain-of-function research in the Wuhan Institute.” Gain-of-function research involves modifying viruses to make them more transmissible or deadly, often to study potential countermeasures.

In 2023, however, the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic released emails showing Fauci had acknowledged such research was occurring at the Wuhan lab, contradicting his earlier statements. The now-dissolved panel concluded that Fauci’s testimony was, at a minimum, misleading.

In a subsequent confrontation, Paul allowed Fauci to retract his claims about gain-of-function research, but Fauci stood by his original statements. The senator has since argued that Fauci’s alleged deception warrants criminal scrutiny, particularly given the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.