in Biden, Politics

Why Rand Paul Says Biden’s Autopen Puts Fauci Back In His Crosshairs

Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) announced Monday that he is reissuing a criminal referral against Dr. Anthony Fauci and will send it directly to President Trump’s Department of Justice, citing new revelations about former President Joe Biden’s use of an autopen to issue controversial pardons.

Paul’s move comes on the heels of a New York Times report confirming that top Biden aides—not Biden himself—authorized a sweeping list of last-minute pardons and commutations in January, including a so-called “preemptive” pardon for Fauci. The pardon was executed not by Biden’s hand, but by an autopen controlled by Chief of Staff Jeff Zients.

The Times outlined how a group of Biden aides—including Zients, White House Counsel Ed Siskel, and others—met in the Yellow Oval Room on January 19 to finalize clemency decisions. Biden reportedly discussed the categories, but aides carried out the final approvals and signed off on the execution using an autopen. At 10:31 p.m., Zients wrote in an email: “I approve the use of the autopen for the execution of all of the following pardons.”

Among those included: Dr. Fauci, former Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, members of the January 6 Committee, and even some Biden family members.

Paul responded bluntly: “Today I will reissue my criminal referral of Anthony Fauci to Trump DOJ!” he posted on X. “Perjury is a crime. And Fauci must be held accountable.”

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The Kentucky senator has led a years-long campaign to hold Fauci accountable for his role in promoting and funding gain-of-function research in Wuhan, China—research that many believe triggered the global COVID-19 pandemic. Paul has also accused Fauci of lying under oath before Congress and misleading the public about the origins of the virus.

Now, with President Trump back in office and the DOJ under new leadership, Paul sees renewed opportunity to prosecute Fauci.

“Fauci didn’t just get it wrong,” Paul said in a follow-up post. “He lied under oath. He knew the risks. He funded the research. And then he covered it up while Americans died.”

The news also further inflames criticism of Biden’s end-of-term conduct. Republicans have argued that Biden’s clemency spree—much of which bypassed public scrutiny—was politically motivated and potentially unlawful. The fact that some of the pardons were never personally reviewed by Biden, but rubber-stamped by his staff, is raising alarms about transparency and legality.

With renewed momentum, Paul’s reissued referral could set off a high-profile legal fight—and put Fauci back in the crosshairs of a Justice Department now led by Trump loyalists.