Rand Paul Threatens Fauci in Heated Senate Clash: ‘When We Get In Charge, We’re Going to Change the Rules’
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Dr. Anthony Fauci added another heated clash to their growing list of contentious exchanges on Wednesday.
Fauci was testifying before a Senate committee on Wednesday when he and Paul got into fiery back-and-forths about Fauci’s view on immunology, as well as whether anyone in the FDA had financial conflict of interests stemming from the Covid-19 vaccine.
Paul began his questioning by replaying old clips of Fauci. In one, he said that a previous flu infection is the best way to fight future infections, more so than vaccination.
“When people decry vaccine hesitancy, it’s coming from the gobbledygook that you give us. You’re not paying attention to the science,” Paul said. “The very basic science is that previous infection provides a level of immunity. If you ignore that in your studies, if you don’t present that in your committees, you’re not being truthful.”
Fauci appeared genuinely perplexed when he got a chance to respond, saying he’s never questioned “fundamental immunology” and he even has some credible expertise on the subject.
“I have never, ever denied fundamental immunology. In fact, I wrote the chapter in the Textbook of Medicine on fundamental immunology,” Fauci said.
Unfazed, Paul pressed forward and asked multiple times where previous Covid-19 infections are listed on the “guidelines” of things to consider before getting vaccinated. He then quickly moved into a discussion about possible conflicts of interest and gave a stern warning to Fauci if Republicans take the House and Senate in the midterms.
“We’ve been asking you and you refuse to answer whether anybody on the vaccine committees gets royalties from the pharmaceutical companies,” the senator said. “I asked you last time and what was your response? ‘We don’t have to tell you.'”
He added that he tried to obtain this information through Freedom of Information requests, but had been unsuccessful.
“But I’ll tell you this, when we get in charge, we’re going change the rules and you will have to divulge where you get your royalties from, from what companies, and if anybody on the committee has a conflict of interest. We’re gonna learn about it. I promise you that,” Paul told Fauci.
Fauci attempted to respond by saying he is not responsible for the committees Paul is concerned about, but the two were cut off with warnings they were over time before they could launch at each other again.
Watch above via CSPAN
