Sen. Rand Paul renewed calls for the Justice Department to indict former NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci over statements made to Congress regarding COVID-19 research funding and the origins of the pandemic.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Rand Paul intensified his public campaign Thursday urging the United States Department of Justice to pursue criminal charges against former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci before the statute of limitations expires on alleged false statements made to Congress during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“4 days left for the DOJ to indict Anthony Fauci,” Paul wrote Thursday in a post on X. “He lied to Congress about NIH funding dangerous gain-of-function research in Wuhan and engaged in the worst cover-up in modern medical history. The American people want Fauci behind bars.”
Paul’s comments referenced a five-year federal statute of limitations related to alleged false testimony connected to congressional hearings examining federal funding for coronavirus research tied to laboratories in Wuhan.
Throughout multiple Senate hearings during the pandemic, Paul repeatedly accused Fauci of misleading lawmakers about U.S. funding linked to gain-of-function research conducted through organizations connected to the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
Fauci has consistently denied lying to Congress and has disputed allegations that the federally funded research met the official definition of gain-of-function experimentation.
Paul renewed those accusations again last week in another X post, writing that “The COVID cover-up goes all the way to the top.”
“Fauci funded the Wuhan lab. Senior intelligence officials hid classified evidence from the president himself. Scientists were silenced. Millions paid the price,” Paul stated. “The DOJ has until May 11th to prosecute Fauci before the statute of limitations runs out. I am not letting this go. The American people deserve justice.”
The senator also responded Thursday to comments made online by James Woods, who criticized Congress and suggested Fauci would avoid prosecution.
“While we can all have our beefs with Congress, this isn’t in our hands any longer,” Paul wrote in response. “I DID the work, investigated, and sent multiple CRIMINAL referrals to the DOJ. Whether he is indicted or not now is not up to Congress. It is up to the DoJ, and no one else.”
Paul has previously sent criminal referrals to the Justice Department requesting investigation into Fauci’s congressional testimony.
The dispute between Paul and Fauci became one of the most visible political confrontations during the pandemic, particularly surrounding questions involving the origins of COVID-19, gain-of-function research, federal oversight of infectious disease research and U.S. funding connected to laboratories in China.
Fauci retired from federal service in 2022 after serving for decades as director of NIAID and as a leading public health adviser during multiple presidential administrations.
No criminal charges have been filed against Fauci, and the Justice Department has not publicly indicated whether prosecutors intend to pursue action before the limitations deadline referenced by Paul.
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