Rand Paul

“

I think everybody should be for transparency, whether a Republican or a Democrat. … If she's taking orders from above, it's the person who gave the orders that needs to be either reprimanded or chastised. [Paul spoke after committee Democrats blocked a grant of immunity for Fauci's former assistant, 8-7, short of the two-thirds required.]

“

I don't have a concern with who the nominee was. I had asked them to give me an update on the internal investigation into civilian deaths. And I'm still waiting.

“

Most of the time when you give out dividends, you're running a profit. I'm thinking maybe they just forgot the negative sign. … I don't think it would be a good idea to basically borrow money to send to the public.

“

One of Fauci’s fall guys, denied the privilege of an autopen pardon, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit fraud. I want to know who his co-conspirators were and what they knew. What does Dr. Fauci have to say about this?

“

Could his plea involve implicating Anthony Fauci?

“

The question is whether a witness, who has received the benefit of a sweeping federal pardon, can be ordered by this committee to answer questions — and then defy that order without consequence. We only have one question: Whether to hold a witness responsible for his contempt toward Congress.

“

Dr. Fauci appeared under subpoena and invoked the Fifth Amendment to refuse answering questions. During the hearing, I ruled that the Fifth Amendment did not apply because of the pardon, and that Fauci had waived any remaining privilege by giving opening testimony. I ordered him to answer and warned him about contempt, yet he still refused. That is obstruction of a congressional investigation. The Committee will act accordingly.

“

This testimony is from Anthony Fauci. This is not a game with his lawyers. There will be consequences for refusing to answer.

“

Your primary concern was hiding the fact that you had approved funding for this dangerous research. Did his actions lead to the largest man-made plague in history?

“

I've heard that he is doing better today. We're hoping he gets out of the hospital soon.

“

I've never heard of someone negotiating with themselves and making a plea bargain with themselves.

“

This committee will not let Senate Democrats block paychecks for our border patrol and other law enforcement. We will not let them shut down inspections for fentanyl, weapons or nuclear material. And we will not stand idly by while they defund the interdiction of child sex trafficking across the border.

“

I'm not for adding more debt, I think adding more [debt] makes us less safe. I think the war should come to a conclusion as soon as possible.

“

The War Powers Act means something. The president cannot simply declare the war over by pointing to a fragile ceasefire while continuing to project military force in the region. Congress must vote.

“

I've been consistent: presidents of both parties need congressional authorization before taking the country into military or paramilitary confrontation. The Cuba blockade is no exception.

“

Congress ought to fund border security but we should be good stewards of the taxpayer dollars and fully pay for the $70 billion to secure our borders.

“

I don't think we should be looking at the White House piecemeal. Today is the ballroom. Tomorrow, it could be some modifications to — I guess, it's the colonnade between the main building and the West Wing. The day after that, it could be some addition to the West Wing.

“

The congressional leadership, resigned to their own irrelevance, will gladly hand the president the power to initiate war in exchange for plausible deniability. Our Founding Fathers thought that war happened too often, war should be the last resort, and that is why we should have Congress vote on it first. It's very difficult after it starts to have a debate over this — once the soldiers are in the field, it's very hard.

“

There is this sticking point of the Constitution that we won't let presidents bomb countries just when they feel like it. They're supposed to ask the people, through the Congress, for permission.

“

I think shooting unarmed people floundering in the water, clinging to wreckage, is not who we are as a people.