The nation’s top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci clashed with Republican Sen. Rand Paul at a Senate hearing on Tuesday about the government’s response to the COVID-19 variants.
During a Senate Health Committee hearing Fauci accused Paul of putting his life in danger with personal attacks for political gain.
“This happens all the time. You personally attack me, with absolutely not a shred of evidence of anything you say. So I would like to make something clear to the committee: You’re doing this for political reasons,” Fauci told Paul.
“I ask myself why would the senator want to do this? You go to Rand Paul website, and you see ‘fire Dr. Fauci’ with a little box that says ‘contribute here!’ You can do $5, $10, $20, $100. So you are making a catastrophic epidemic for your political gain,” Fauci continued. “What happens when he gets out and accuses me of things that are completely untrue, all of a sudden that kindles the crazies out there, and I have threats upon my life, harassment of my family, and my children will have seen phone calls because people are lying about me.”
He pointed to a recent incident in Iowa where a California man was arrested on his way to the White House with a ‘kill list’ that included Dr. Fauci and President Biden.
In the fiery exchange Paul also accuse Fauci of attacking scientists who do not agree with him.
“In usual fashion, senator you are distorting everything about me,” Fauci said. “You just do the same thing every hearing. You are incorrect, Senator,” Fauci said. “You are incorrect in almost everything.”
Watch the full exchange on CSpan.
