Cawthorn stands by call for criminal charges against Fauci: He 'broke his oath'

Rep. Madison Cawthorn says he stands by his criticism of Dr. Anthony Fauci after the doctor appeared on Fox News and rebuked Cawthorn’s suggestion that legal action should be taken against Fauci. 

"Dr. Fauci broke his oath," Cawthorn told Fox News. "Not only his oath in Congress, but his Hippocratic oath as a doctor, to do no harm. I stand by my statements, and justice will be served."

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Earlier in the week, Cawthorn had referred to Fauci as a "punk" and a "pawn" of the communist Chinese government while also accusing him of lying to Congress.

Fauci responded during a Fox News interview with Neil Cavuto and asked, "where do you come off talking about criminal things and conspiring with [the CCP]?"

Cawthorn explained to Fox News the specific laws that he believes Fauci violated after testifying to Congress under oath that no "gain of function" research was funded by the United States at the Wuhan lab, which several Republicans, including Sen. Rand Paul, believe was a lie.

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"U.S. Code sections 1621 and 1001 of Title 18 are the two relevant legal standards at play here," Cawthorn said. "Section 1621 states that anyone who ‘willfully and contrary to such oath states or subscribes any material matter which he does not believe to be true’ is guilty of perjury and shall be fined or imprisoned up to five years, or both. Section 1001 stipulates that ‘whoever, in any matter within the jurisdiction of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the government of the United States, knowingly and willfully" falsifies or conceals information, including before a congressional committee's inquiry, may also be fined or imprisoned up to five years.’’"

Sen. Paul agreed with Cawthorn’s conclusion and filed a criminal referral against Dr. Fauci based on reports that the U.S. government spent money on gain of function research at the Wuhan lab in question.

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"Well, I think it’s important to know that Dr. Fauci has a self-interest in obscuring any relationship or responsibility for anything done in the Wuhan lab," Paul said on Fox News earlier this week

"Without question, the evidence we presented in committee yesterday shows that the NIH was funding research in Wuhan. We showed the exact numerical series of numbers that goes with the grant numbers. So yes, they were funding the Wuhan lab." 

Fauci has continued to adamantly deny misrepresenting the gain of function research to Congress.

"I never have a regret about telling the truth, or about doing my job," Fauci said Friday.