Sen. Roger Marshall Calls For Special Counsel Investigation Into Dr. Anthony Fauci

Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas is calling on the Justice Department to appoint a special counsel to investigate Dr. Anthony Fauci over his role in the federal government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the virus’s origins.

In a letter sent to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Marshall argued that an independent prosecutor is necessary to avoid any appearance that the federal government is investigating its own conduct during the pandemic. He said the investigation should focus on Fauci’s role in the origins of COVID-19, federal funding for coronavirus research, and whether congressional oversight was obstructed.

Marshall’s request follows the release of intelligence documents by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard that he says raise serious questions about Fauci’s actions. According to the senator, the documents suggest Fauci may have misled Congress about U.S.-funded gain-of-function research connected to the Wuhan Institute of Virology and influenced officials to shift attention away from the lab leak theory in favor of the wet market explanation.

The Kansas Republican also cited allegations that whistleblower complaints involving Fauci were dismissed or suppressed, arguing that an independent investigation is needed to determine whether any federal laws were violated.

Before leaving office in January 2025, former President Joe Biden issued Fauci a preemptive pardon covering any potential federal offenses committed between Jan. 1, 2014, and Jan. 20, 2025. Marshall questioned whether the pardon would prevent further legal scrutiny and suggested a special counsel could also examine its legal implications.

Fauci retired at the end of 2022 after serving for nearly four decades as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and later as chief medical adviser to President Biden. He has consistently denied misleading Congress or engaging in wrongdoing related to coronavirus research. The Justice Department has not commented on Marshall’s request, and Fauci’s attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment.