Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul (R) has officially referred Dr. Anthony Fauci to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for a potential criminal investigation related to the legality of a last-minute presidential pardon.
The pardon was reportedly signed using an autopen—a device that replicates a person’s signature—during former President Joe Biden’s final hours in office, sparking debate over whether proper procedures were followed.
According to a New York Times report, then-White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients approved the use of the autopen to sign a broad list of pardons on Jan. 19, Biden’s last full day as president.
Among the individuals pardoned were Dr. Fauci and former Rep. Liz Cheney (R–WY), both controversial figures in recent political discourse.
The report states that while Biden approved the general criteria for these pardons, he did not personally sign each document.
Paul has raised serious concerns about the use of the autopen in this context, asserting it may represent criminal misconduct.
“If President Biden did not personally approve or sign Dr. Fauci’s pardon, it may be invalid and legally problematic,” Paul said in the referral sent to Attorney General Pam Bondi.
He urged the DOJ to investigate whether the use of the autopen violated