In an interview that aired Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation”, Fauci responded to Senator Ted Cruz’s attacks, suggesting that the government’s top infectious diseases expert be investigated for statements he made about COVID-19.
“I should be prosecuted? What happened on Jan. 6, senator?” said Fauci, referring to the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol by supporters of then-President Donald Trump.
As reported by the Houston Chronicle, Fauci was accused of lying to Congress when he denied in May that the National Institute of Health funded “gain of function” research — the practice of enhancing a virus in a lab to study its potential impact in the real world — at a virology lab in Wuhan, China.
Cruz has urged Attorney General Merrick Garland to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Fauci’s statements.
There is no clear evidence or scientific consensus that “gain of function” research was funded by NIH, and there is no link of U.S.-funded research to the emergence of COVID-19.
“So it’s easy to criticize, but they’re really criticizing science because I represent science,” Fauci said in the interview. “That’s dangerous. I’m not going to be around here forever, but science is going to be here forever. And if you damage science, you are doing something very detrimental to society long after I leave. And that’s what I worry about.”
Paul and Cruz both had issues with Fauci claiming he “represents science.”
“The absolute hubris of someone claiming THEY represent science. It’s astounding and alarming that a public health bureaucrat would even think to claim such a thing, especially one who has worked so hard to ignore the science of natural immunity,” Paul tweeted.
While Cruz, tweeted Fauci was an ‘unelected technocrat’ who was exercising authoritarian control over millions of Americans, “He lives in a liberal world where his smug ‘I REPRESENT science’ attitude is praised.”
When asked in the CBS interview whether Republicans might be raising the claims to make him a scapegoat and deflect criticism of Trump, Fauci said, “of course, you have to be asleep not to figure that one out,” As reported by the Houston Chronicle.
‘Easy To Criticize’: Dr. Anthony Fauci Fights COVID-19 Accusations Made By Sen. Ted Cruz
