Following recent allegations that Dr. Anthony Fauci lied about "gain-of-function" research taking place in the Wuhan lab, where the coronavirus is said to have originated, Republican Sen. Tom Cotton is calling for an investigation into the infectious diseases expert.
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Cotton called the situation "one of the biggest scandals in Washington," saying he wants Fauci to be prosecuted for lying. But, he isn't the only Senator to accuse Fauci of lying about what research took place in Wuhan.
Sen. Rand Paul also sparred with Fauci this summer over funding for the Wuhan Institute of Virology in multiple congressional hearings. When the documents were released, Paul shared that he wants Fauci to be removed from his position immediately because of his "poor judgment."
Cotton spoke with Fox News' Laura Ingraham about the situation and what he thinks should happen to Fauci, starting with saying, "he should be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
"You know for 18 months he's been saddling up his moral high horse and plucking his tongue at college kids who want to go celebrate a football game at an outdoor stadium on a nice fall day or parents who don't want their kindergartners to have to wear masks their entire lives, telling you you have to work very mask, when all along, he's been lying, not just in Congress, but to the American people about his role in funding the very reckless and dangerous research at a Chinese Communist lab that unleashed this pandemic on the world," Cotton said.
He went on to say that it's a "disgrace" and that it's time for "Tony Fauci to be held accountable." Cotton also called the situation "one of the biggest scandals in Washington modern Times."
Cotton noted that funding the laboratory is why millions have become seriously ill, kids have lost critical time in the classroom, weddings postponed, jobs lost, and businesses closed.
Paul wants Fauci to be removed for what he says was a violation of public trust on Fox News' "Hannity." He went on to add that Fauci has "lied dozens of times" to the American public.
"But not just that — the judgment that we should continue to fund this lab and that the virus in all likelihood came from the lab — I think it's such an incredibly poor judgment that he should be immediately removed," Paul said.
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The newly released documents contradicted Fauci's claims that the NIH did not fund gain-of-function in Wuhan. Gain-of-function involves increasing the transmissibility of a virus. This is done so that scientists can predict new diseases and develop vaccines and therapeutics to treat them.
Fauci has not commented on the new papers since their release last week. As of now, there is no plan to remove Fauci from his position.
