Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) has filed a criminal referral against Dr. Anthony Fauci for allegedly lying under oath about the origins of Covid-19.
In a Tuesday letter to DC US Attorney Matthew Graves, Paul demanded an investigation into Fauci for allegedly perjuring himself during a 2021 congressional hearing in which he said COVID-19 couldn't have come from a Chinese lab he was funding.
"Dr. Fauci testified that 'the NIH has not ever and does not now fund gain-of function research in the Wuhan Institute of Virology.' In a subsequent hearing, I warned Dr. Fauci of the criminal implications of lying to Congress and offered him an opportunity to recant his previous statements," Paul wrote in the letter obtained by the Daily Mail.
"In response, Dr. Fauci stated that he had 'never lied before the Congress' and 'd[id] not retract that statement,'" adding "Dr. Fauci's testimony is inconsistent with facts that have since come to light."
The move comes weeks after Paul submitted an 'official criminal referral' to the Justice Department, which a Paul aid told the Mail, never responded.
Because of the DOJ’s inaction regarding Fauci’s lies to congress, I’ve now sent a criminal referral to D.C. U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves. I’m demanding an investigation. Read the full letter here: https://t.co/HLEySLgfkv pic.twitter.com/ih2b7pgcqm
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) August 8, 2023
"Since AG Garland doesn’t appear to want to do his job, I’ve today sent evidence for a criminal referral for Anthony Fauci to the US Attorney in DC," Paul said in another tweet.
"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 to his colleagues His own colleagues have acknowledged Dr. Fauci's inconsistency," the letter to Graves continues. "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."
Paul previously wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland on July 14 and July 23 calling for an investigation into whether Fauci lied under oath over his knowledge of dangerous virus research that was taking place at the Wuhan lab, in China.
In July 2021, Dr Fauci testified how his former department 'has not ever and does not now fund gain-of-function research in the Wuhan Institute of Virology.'
Gain-of-function research refers to a type of scientific investigation conducted on viruses, with the purpose of enhancing their transmissibility or virulence.
The aim is to understand how viruses evolve and potentially predict and prepare for future disease outbreaks, but also raises concerns regarding biosafety and biosecurity. -Daily Mail
Earlier this month, Paul said he had Fauci 'dead to rights' over lying during testimony.
This directly contradicts everything he said in committee hearing to me, denying absolutely that they funded any gain of function, and it’s absolutely a lie. That’s why I sent an official criminal referral to the DOJ. https://t.co/Y191SmMiIr
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) July 29, 2023
Meanwhile, journalist Hans Mahncke has an interesting thought for Rand... send the referral to AGs in red states.
Send your referral to GOP state attorneys general. Fauci told his lies in DC but he also told them to state and local officials. Had he not lied about everything, states (who were expecting a normal, natural SARS virus, not a lab-enhanced one) could've responded very differently. https://t.co/2MtcAbI9Xo
— Hans Mahncke (@HansMahncke) August 9, 2023
As Summit News notes, Earlier this week, Paul shared a link to an article in the Free Press, outlining how Fauci is "guilty as charged."
Correct.
— Richard H. Ebright (@R_H_Ebright) August 9, 2023