Sen. Rand Paul is examining Dr. Anthony Fauci’s government-issued phone, focusing on potential evidence of deleted records. This investigation comes as Fauci’s former aide, David Morens, faces trial for allegedly concealing and destroying government documents on behalf of his former superior. Morens is awaiting trial on charges of document destruction and concealment, facing a potential sentence of up to 51 years.
Paul has previously taken an interest in Fauci's actions related to the COVID-19 pandemic and gain-of-function research. He previously referred Fauci for contempt of Congress after Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment 111 times during Senate testimony. Fauci has maintained that he did not delete official records and has distanced himself from Morens.
Evidence from previous data releases by Paul’s Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee suggests Fauci may have instructed others to delete emails. On February 2, 2020, Fauci reportedly emailed Dr. Francis Collins, then director of the NIH, stating, “Please delete this email after you read it,” in reference to the World Health Organization’s handling of questions about COVID-19 origins. In another instance, on July 20, 2020, Fauci emailed his chief of staff, Greg Folkers, about Senator Paul's claims regarding Florida's COVID-19 response, reportedly calling Paul’s assessment "full of s–t" and instructing Folkers to “please delete this e-mail after you read it.”
Fauci received a retrospective pardon from President Joe Biden that covers offenses committed between January 1, 2014, and January 2025. The pardon’s extended duration, predating the pandemic, has raised questions regarding its connection to Fauci’s past funding of gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. This research involved bat coronaviruses and has been scrutinized for its potential link to the pandemic's origin. The pardon also covers Fauci’s June 2014 grant to EcoHealth Alliance, an organization that subsequently funded research at the Wuhan lab.
Fauci and Collins have denied funding research in Wuhan, though the funding mechanism through EcoHealth Alliance is documented. The relationship between Fauci, Morens, and EcoHealth head Peter Daszak has also been a subject of scrutiny, with allegations that Morens accepted wine from an unconfirmed co-conspirator identified as Daszak.
Beyond federal inquiries, several Republican state attorneys general, including those in Florida and Louisiana, have initiated investigations into Fauci concerning potential state-level crimes such as self-dealing. These investigations reportedly began following Fauci's Senate testimony and the release of his diary.
The forensic copy of Fauci's government-issued phone was reportedly obtained by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and subsequently transferred to Paul and Sen. Ron Johnson’s committee. Investigators are examining the phone for any indication of deleted material or efforts to alter its contents. If evidence of record destruction is found, it could place Fauci in a similar legal position to David Morens.
Morens, who has declared his innocence, worked closely with Fauci for 16 years, co-authoring over 50 scientific papers. Some observers suggest Morens might be willing to testify against Fauci if offered a plea deal.