Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is embarking on a renewed push to uncover the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a specific focus on obtaining answers from former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) director, Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Subpoenas Issued to 14 Federal Agencies

In his capacity as the newly appointed chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, Paul has issued subpoenas to 14 federal agencies from the Biden administration. This move aims to expand on earlier congressional investigations that scrutinized the pandemic and controversial gain-of-function research funded by taxpayer dollars.

While it remains unclear who will be summoned from these agencies, it is possible that Dr. Fauci may be called to testify.

“In light of Anthony Fauci’s preemptive pardon, questions remain unanswered,” Paul stated during the announcement of his subpoenas. “We have sent subpoenas to the NIH and 13 other agencies concerning their role in risky gain-of-function research. This investigation aims to evaluate the processes that allowed such dangerous research to take place in a foreign country under unsafe protocols, ensuring that mistakes of this magnitude do not occur again.”

Legal Implications of Fauci’s Pardon

Dr. Fauci received a preemptive pardon from former President Joe Biden to shield him from potential political repercussions within a new Trump administration. Legal experts have raised doubts about the legitimacy of this pardon. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey pointed out on Fox News that Biden’s own Justice Department indicated the former president might lack the mental competence to face criminal charges for mishandling classified documents. This could suggest that Biden similarly lacked the capacity to issue pardons.

Additionally, the scope of Fauci’s pardon only extends to actions undertaken between January 2014 and the date of the pardon, meaning that any refusal to comply with a congressional subpoena could lead to criminal charges.

Building on Previous Investigations

Paul’s investigation is set to build upon a bipartisan inquiry initiated by the Senate’s Homeland Security Committee the previous year, which focused on national security risks associated with high-risk biological research both domestically and internationally.

Furthermore, a second investigation led by Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chairman of the Permanent Select Subcommittee on Investigations, will similarly delve into the concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. This probe will include a review of email correspondence from Dr. Fauci.

Efforts to Uncover COVID-19 Origins

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Paul has submitted numerous requests for information related to the origins of the COVID-19 virus and gain-of-function research methodologies. His previous efforts unearthed documents suggesting that officials from at least 15 federal agencies were aware as early as 2018 that China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) was involved in creating coronaviruses similar to COVID-19.

The WIV has been at the center of discussions regarding the virus’s origins, especially after it was disclosed that American scientist Peter Daszak’s EcoHealth Alliance was utilizing taxpayer funds to conduct risky research on bat coronaviruses at the WIV prior to the COVID-19 outbreak. In a recent development, the Department of Health and Human Services has prohibited Daszak and EcoHealth Alliance from receiving federal funding for five years.

Contradicting Testimonies

Dr. Fauci has repeatedly denied that the NIH has ever financed gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute. During a Congressional hearing in May 2021, he stated unequivocally that “the NIH has not ever and does not now fund gain-of-function research in the Wuhan Institute of Virology.”

The Trump administration is reportedly crafting an executive order to halt all federal funding directed towards gain-of-function research, a move that underscores the contentious nature of research tied to the COVID-19 origins.

Conflicting Theories About COVID-19’s Origin

The origins of the COVID-19 virus remain a topic of significant debate. While three federal agencies—the Department of Energy, the FBI, and the CIA—suggest that a lab leak theory represents the most plausible narrative, other agencies within the intelligence community maintain either uncertainty about the lab leak theory or advocate for a natural origin scenario.

A declassified intelligence report from 2021 from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence suggested that if a lab leak was indeed responsible for the pandemic, it was likely due to an accident.

Awaiting Responses

Representatives for Senator Paul have refrained from providing comments on this ongoing investigation, while Dr. Fauci has not responded to requests for his input regarding these developments.