Stop ‘Harassment’ of Fauci, Scientists Urge Politicians

— Open letter signed by 155 physicians, scientists ahead of Congressional testimony

Ahead of Anthony Fauci, MD, testifying before Congress on Wednesday, a group of 155 scientists, physicians, and public health advocates signed an open letter calling on elected officials to end the “vilification and harassment” of scientists.

The letter states that the Trump administration and its allies in Congress are “waging a war on individual scientists, through public harassment, arrests, criminal indictment, and ongoing threats of prosecution.”

“We are urging our elected representatives in Congress to stop these witch-hunts and support good public health and scientific practices so that America’s leadership in innovation remains secure,” they wrote.

Fauci has testified numerous times in front of Congress regarding the COVID pandemic, including several times during its acute phase, and at least twice in 2024 before the House Oversight and Accountability Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic; one of which was a closed-door session.

Now, Fauci is being hauled back once again for further questioning. In advance of that testimony, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who chairs the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, released several dossiers of Fauci’s emails — including some he calls Fauci’s “diary.”

The letter states that there’s no evidence to support the “absurd” charges being levied against Fauci, including that he covered up the origins of COVID, that his institution funded research that sparked the pandemic, that he holds patents on the virus, and that he’s working with intelligence agencies to suppress the true story of the pandemic.

Over the years, the accusations have led to harassment and threats of violence against Fauci and his family, it states.

While Fauci has been the “most prominent target” of such attacks, other colleagues — including former NIH Director Francis Collins, MD, PhD; pediatrician Peter Hotez, MD, PhD; and epidemiologist Ralph Baric, PhD — have also been harassed and threatened due to such accusations, the letter says.

Beyond threats, the Trump administration has moved to put scientists in real legal trouble. Top Fauci aide David Morens, MD, was arrested by federal agents in April, and accused of using his private email to evade Freedom of Information Act requests related to discussions on bat coronavirus research grants.

Then in June, two virologists — Vincent Munster, PhD, and Claude Kwe, PhD — were accused of transporting undeclared inactivated mpox (or monkeypox) virus on a flight into the U.S. and making false statements about doing so. Scientists and public health officials have expressed deep concerns about the charges.

While former President Joe Biden issued a preemptive pardon to Fauci, Paul has aggressively called for challenging that pardon.

“I do believe Anthony Fauci committed a felony by lying to Congress,” Paul has said previously. “So you have to charge him with a felony, take him to court, and then the court will decide whether or not the pardon is upheld.”