WASHINGTON, DC – Republican Senator Rand Paul has reportedly referred Dr. Anthony Fauci to the Department of Justice for a potential criminal probe, alleging the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) committed perjury while testifying before Congress.
Sen. Paul’s reference to the Justice Department relates to Fauci’s past testimony before Congress, where the then-NIAID head purported to have no knowledge of there having been gain-of-function research conducted at the lab in Wuhan prior to the outbreak of COVID in late 2019.
In Sen. Paul’s letter to U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves regarding the matter, the Kentucky Republican asserted that Fauci’s “political games” while delivering testimony before Congress should be investigated by the Justice Department.
“Before Congress, Dr. Fauci denied funding gain-of-function research, to the press he claims to have a dispassionate view on the lab leak hypothesis, and in private he acknowledges gain-of-function research at WIV (Wuhan Institute of Virology) to his colleagues. A congressional hearing, however, is not the place for a public servant to play political games — especially when the health and well-being of American citizens is on the line. For this reason, I request that you investigate whether Dr. Fauci’s statements to Congress on May 11, 2021, violated 18 U.S.C. § 1001 or any other statute.” – Excerpt from Sen. Paul’s letter to Justice Department
Following the delivery of the letter to the Justice Department, Sen. Paulo appeared on Fox News to discuss the proposed investigation, calling Fauci’s past testimony before Congress a clear “case of perjury.”
“I don’t think there’s ever been a clearer case of perjury in the history of government testimony. And I don’t say that lightly. He said adamantly that the government never funded this gain-of-function research. We now have the Government Accountability Office, the GAO, has admitted that the funding came from the NIH. We have the acting director, Tabak, of the NIH admitting in writing that it came from the NIH. But now we have, really, the smoking gun, and that is Fauci saying in private opposite of what he was saying in public.” – Sen. Paul’s comments to Fox News
Rand Paul tears into Fauci:
"I don't think there has ever been a clearer case of perjury in the history of government testimony, and I don’t say that lightly. He said adamantly that the government never funded this gain of function research." pic.twitter.com/2qa8obWZyM
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) August 10, 2023
Gregory Hoyt is a former contributor to outlets such as Law Enforcement Today and Red Voice Media, and current host of The Breakdown with Greg Hoyt. Based out of Sierra Vista, Arizona, Hoyt is a staunch and outspoken advocate of law enforcement and first responders, while also harboring the unique experience of having spent nearly 5 years in prison. Since then, he's used his unique perspective to offer support and commentary about the criminal justice system. When not working or combating bad ideas, Hoyt also leisurely studies economics, history, and law.