Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., is continuing his efforts to investigate the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic and has issued subpoenas to 14 agencies from the outgoing Biden administration. Paul, who is now chairman of the Senate’s Homeland Security committee, is seeking answers from Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
The investigation aims to build on past congressional investigations into the COVID-19 virus and gain-of-function research, which some have linked to the pandemic. Paul has expressed concerns about the process that allowed this research to occur in a foreign country under unsafe protocols.
Fauci received a preemptive pardon from former President Joe Biden, which has been questioned by legal experts. The pardon only covers Fauci’s actions from January 2014 to the date of the pardon, and a refusal to comply with a congressional subpoena could potentially result in criminal charges.
Paul’s investigation will build on a previous bipartisan probe launched by the Senate’s Homeland Security committee last year, which looked into the national security threats posed by high-risk biological research and technology in the U.S. and abroad.
A second investigation is being launched by Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., which will also probe concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and will include a review of email communications from Fauci.
Since the pandemic began, Paul has sent dozens of requests for information related to the origins of the COVID-19 virus and gain-of-function research. He has revealed documents that show government officials from at least 15 federal agencies knew in 2018 that China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology was working on creating a coronavirus similar to COVID-19.
The Trump administration is reportedly preparing an executive order to halt all U.S. funding going towards gain-of-function research. Federal officials remain split on where the COVID-19 virus originated from, with some agencies concluding that a lab leak is the most likely origin narrative.
