Rand Paul accuses Dr. Fauci of lobbying for $1 million prize during COVID tenure

Rand Paul, who chairs the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, is preparing a contentious hearing with former NIH chief Anthony Fauci. Paul disclosed more than 1,000 pages of Fauci’s personal diary and asserted that the scientist solicited colleagues at the National Institutes of Health to nominate him for the $1 million Dan David Prize while overseeing the COVID-19 response. He questioned why a senior bureaucrat should be eligible for a prize that far exceeds the $50 cap generally applied to public officials.

Fauci was awarded the Dan David Prize in 2021, with award rules requiring 10 % to fund scholarships in his field. Diary excerpts also reveal Fauci’s fascination with his sudden media fame and note the Trump White House’s displeasure at his prominence. Paul acknowledged that Fauci’s media focus might have influenced his public messaging, but stopped short of concluding misconduct.