Senator lays groundwork for potential Fauci probe — Analysis

Fresh from vowing to investigate chief White House medical advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci for his role in the Covid-19 pandemic, Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) has demanded that President Joe Biden’s administration preserve documents and messages that could become evidence in the potential probe.

Paul, who has sparred with Fauci in Senate hearings over government funding of potentially dangerous virus research, sent a letter to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on Tuesday, calling for the Covid-19 czar’s documents and communications to be saved. The demand came one day after Fauci announced that, effective in December, he would step down as Biden’s chief medical advisor and as director of the NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

“Fauci’s resignation will not prevent a full-throated investigation into the origins of the pandemic,” Paul said after the doctor’s announcement on Monday. He said that oath testimony will be taken under oath regarding possible Covid-19 leakage from Wuhan Institute of Virology. Fauci was previously charged by the senator with directing public funds to Wuhan Lab gain-of function research and then lying under oath during congressional testimony.

“Dr. Fauci misled the American people on public health guidance throughout the pandemic, lied to Congress under oath, and funneled tax dollars to fund dangerous research in communist China,”Paul shared his thoughts with the Daily Caller, Tuesday. 

However, Republicans will need to win back control of Congress in this year’s midterm elections to force such an investigation. Paul said in February that he would subpoena Fauci’s records if Republicans retake the Senate. Fauci stated that there wasn’t any reason to conduct such an investigation in a CNN interview. “But if they want to, go ahead. My records are an open book.”

Paul requested in Tuesday’s letter that the NIH preserve all documents, data and messages created by or shared with Fauci relating to Covid-19, including NIAID-funded research. “The American people deserve transparency and accountability from the NIH regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, regardless of Dr. Fauci’s future employment plans,”He stated.

Fauci was accused by Republican lawmakers of having waited until a potential GOP-controlled Congress started work next January to time his departure. “Dr. Fauci is conveniently resigning from his position in December, before House Republicans have an opportunity to hold him accountable for destroying our country over these past three years,”On Monday, Andy Biggs, a Republican from Arizona spoke out. “This guy is a coward.”Fauci said that Fauci would be held responsible regardless of his continued public office.