Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has reissued his criminal referral against Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and medical adviser to President Joe Biden. This step comes amid an ongoing political drama involving allegations of misuse of the autopen, the presidential seal used to sign documents on behalf of the sitting president. Paul’s action is part of his broader efforts to hold Fauci accountable for alleged misconduct related to the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The referral marks a continuation of Paul’s long-standing investigations into Fauci’s actions during the pandemic. His first referral was issued in 2021, when he accused Fauci of lying to Congress about funding for gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Subsequent referrals came in 2023, again as part of his investigation into the origins of the virus. Paul has emphasized that perjury is a crime, and he insists that Fauci must be held accountable for any alleged falsehoods.
Paul’s latest move comes as the autopen controversy continues to dominate political conversations. Trump and congressional Republicans have accused Biden of potentially delegating his presidential authority to aides and top officials to sign a large number of pardons and documents. This scrutiny has been intensified by a recent report revealing that Biden’s Chief of Staff Jeff Zients gave final approval for the use of the autopen for preemptive pardons for Fauci and former Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, both of whom are former Trump critics. This has sparked concerns about the extent of Biden’s cognitive ability and whether his staff were effectively running the White House.
Trump has called for Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate Biden’s use of the autopen, while Republicans in the Senate and House have held their own committee hearings on the matter. The issue has also sparked a series of Senate hearings, including a scheduled hearing on Wednesday, where the focus will be on who was truly running the Biden White House. These hearings have further deepened the division between Trump and Biden supporters, highlighting the ongoing political tensions around the administration’s handling of the autopen and its implications for the presidency.
The situation has drawn widespread attention, with the White House facing increased pressure to provide transparency and clarity on the use of the autopen. As the debate continues, the implications of these developments are likely to influence the political landscape, particularly in the run-up to the 2024 presidential elections.