Anthony Fauci may be deposed as GOP intensifies COVID investigations in new Congress

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., is continuing his efforts to analyse the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, and helium wants answers from Dr. Anthony Fauci.   

In his caller presumption arsenic president of the Senate's Homeland Security committee, Paul issued subpoenas to 14 agencies from the outgoing Biden medication aimed astatine gathering connected past legislature investigations into the COVID-19 microorganism and risky taxpayer-funded gain-of-function research. It is unclear who precisely from each bureau volition yet beryllium deposed, but a Fauci deposition is possible. 

"In the aftermath of Anthony Fauci’s preemptive pardon, determination are inactive questions to beryllium answered," Paul said successful a connection aft announcing the issuance of his subpoenas. "Subpoenas were sent from the Committee to NIH [National Institutes of Health] and 13 other agencies regarding their engagement successful risky gain-of-function research. The extremity of the probe volition beryllium to critique the process that allowed this unsafe research, that whitethorn person led to the pandemic, to hap successful a overseas state nether unsafe protocols and to guarantee that determination is capable oversight and reappraisal going forward, making definite a mistake of this magnitude ne'er happens again."

FORMER NASCAR STAR DANICA PATRICK SUPPORTS TRUMP REVOKING FAUCI'S SECURITY DETAIL

While erstwhile President Joe Biden preemptively pardoned Fauci to support him from governmental retribution nether the caller Trump administration, ineligible experts person questioned the validity of specified a pardon. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Baily suggested to Fox News that since Biden's ain Justice Department indicated helium lacked the intelligence faculties to beryllium held criminally liable for improper handling of classified documents, it could beryllium argued helium besides lacked the mens rea to contented pardons to radical similar Fauci. Additionally, the pardon Fauci received lone covers his actions from January 2014 to the day of his pardon. As a result, a refusal to comply with a legislature subpoena could besides perchance effect successful transgression charges.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., questions erstwhile National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci during a proceeding astir the U.S.' effect to the COVID-19 pandemic successful Washington, D.C., connected Nov. 4, 2021. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images | AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Paul's probe volition physique connected a erstwhile bipartisan probe launched by the Senate's Homeland Security committee past twelvemonth looking into the nationalist information threats posed by "high-risk biologic probe and exertion successful the U.S. and abroad." 

A second investigation being launched by Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., the president of the Permanent Select Subcommittee connected Investigations, volition likewise probe concerns successful the caller Congress surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and volition see a reappraisal of email communications from Fauci.  

MISSOURI AG SAYS LEGAL ACTION AGAINST ANTHONY FAUCI IS STILL ON THE TABLE 

Since the pandemic began, Paul has sent dozens of requests for accusation related to the origins of the COVID-19 virus and gain-of-function research. Last year, his efforts revealed documents that helium said amusement that authorities officials from astatine slightest 15 national agencies knew successful 2018 that China's Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) was moving connected creating a coronavirus akin to COVID-19.

Security unit basal defender extracurricular the Wuhan Institute of Virology successful Wuhan, China. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images)

The WIV has been a centerpiece successful the statement implicit the origins of COVID-19, arsenic it was yet discovered that American idiosyncratic Peter Daszak's EcoHealth Alliance was utilizing payer dollars to behaviour risky probe connected the caller bat microorganism retired of the WIV anterior to the COVID-19 outbreak. Earlier this month, the Department of Health and Human Services barred Daszak and EcoHealth Alliance from receiving national funding for 5 years. 

Meanwhile, Fauci, the manager of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), told Congress successful May 2021 that the NIH "has not ever and does not present money gain-of-function probe successful the Wuhan Institute of Virology."

DR. FAUCI SAYS HE APPRECIATES PRESIDENT BIDEN'S PARDON BUT INSISTS ‘NO CRIME’ WAS COMMITTED

Dr. Anthony Fauci is sworn-in earlier testifying successful beforehand of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee Select Subcommittee connected the Coronavirus Pandemic successful Washington, D.C., connected June 3, 2024. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The Trump medication is reportedly preparing an enforcement bid to halt each U.S. backing going towards gain-of-function research. 

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Federal officials stay divided connected wherever the COVID-19 microorganism originated from. Three agencies — the Department of Energy, the FBI and the CIA — person determined that the astir apt root communicative is the laboratory leak theory, but others successful the quality assemblage and passim the national authorities accidental they tin either not reason that a laboratory leak was the astir apt scenario, oregon they accidental that a earthy root script is astir likely. A declassified quality study from 2021, published by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, posited that if a laboratory leak did crook retired to beryllium the catalyst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was apt the effect of an accident.

Representatives for Paul declined to remark for this report, portion Fauci did not respond to a petition for comment.