Senator Rand Paul has once again referred Dr. Anthony Fauci to the Department of Justice, citing recent revelations that Fauci may have been pardoned by President Biden without the president’s direct involvement. The referral follows a New York Times report indicating that several last-minute pardons, including Fauci’s, were signed via autopen by Biden’s staff, not the president himself.

Paul argues that this raises serious questions about the legality and transparency of the pardon process. He also reiterated a prior referral he made in 2023, accusing Fauci of lying under oath about the NIH’s funding of gain-of-function research in Wuhan. Internal emails later emerged that allegedly contradicted Fauci’s 2021 congressional testimony.

The report states that Chief of Staff Jeff Zients authorized the autopen signatures for several high-profile pardons during Biden’s final hours in office. Biden had approved general criteria for clemency but did not review or authorize each individual case personally. Emails showed that Zients finalized the list minutes after it was sent by staff late on January 19.

Critics, including former President Trump, have seized on the revelation as a major scandal. Trump accused Biden of being unaware of what he was signing and claimed it proves others were running the country. He called the autopen usage one of the “biggest scandals” in decades.

The White House defended the process, saying Biden had discussed the standards thoroughly. However, Republicans argue the move reveals deeper concerns about Biden’s cognitive state and the transparency of his administration’s decision-making.