Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) threatened Dr. Anthony Fauci during a testy hearing on Wednesday, making it abundantly clear that things would be different if Republicans were to gain control of Congress in the fast-approaching midterm elections.
Fauci, who was on Capitol Hill to discuss the federal government’s response to monkeypox, has sparred with the Kentucky Senator on a number of occasions — and Wednesday’s hearing was no exception.
WATCH:
Rand Paul confronts Fauci on his clip saying that getting infected protects you from a virus more than vaccines:
Fauci: “That film you showed was really taken out of context… Reuters fact checked that.”
Paul: “Actually, words don’t lie.”
pic.twitter.com/bJKhlYNt5E— Greg Price (@greg_price11) September 14, 2022
Paul began with a video of Fauci responding to a question about a patient who wondered whether it would be necessary or wise to get a flu shot after previously being infected with the virus — to which Fauci said no. He explained at the time that previous infection provided protection just like a vaccine would.
“When people decry vaccine hesitancy, it’s coming from the gobbledygook that you give us. You’re not paying attention to the science. The very basic science is that previous infection provides a level of immunity,” Paul said. “If you ignore that in your studies, if you don’t present that in your committees, you’re not being truthful.”
Fauci objected, first claiming that the video was “out of context” and then insisting, “I have never, ever denied fundamental immunology. In fact, I wrote the chapter in the Textbook of Medicine on fundamental immunology.”
Paul pushed back, however, noting that in nearly every study determining whether or not additional booster shots were necessary — particularly with regard to COVID vaccines — no one was considering whether or not a person had been previously infected as a factor.
Paul then turned on Fauci directly, adding, “We’ve been asking you and you refuse to answer whether anybody on the vaccine committees gets royalties from the pharmaceutical companies. I asked you last time and what was your response? ‘We don’t have to tell you.'”
“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,” he said.