Sen. Ron Johnson on Fauci Accountability and Filibuster Strategy

Senator Ron Johnson from Wisconsin provided an update on his efforts to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci accountable for his management during the COVID-19 pandemic. Johnson shared his new filibuster strategy for the Senate on the ‘Ruthless’ podcast.

“Our response to COVID was a failed attempt that restricted freedoms,” Johnson stated in an interview released Tuesday morning. “It didn’t work. Fauci has evaded accountability for six years, but now that begins.” Johnson, as chair of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, has authored a report claiming the Biden administration misled the public during the pandemic.

Johnson’s interview followed the release of Fauci’s daily journal entries by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, led by Senator Rand Paul. The journals cover Fauci’s rise to fame, interactions with the Trump and Biden administrations, and his views on the virus’s origins, which remain disputed. Fauci is scheduled to testify in a Senate Homeland Security hearing on Wednesday.

Fauci’s management of the pandemic, his public health guidance, views on the virus’s origin, and alleged ties to a Chinese lab are points of contention among Republicans. Fauci served on the COVID task forces under Presidents Trump and Biden, and he was Biden’s chief medical advisor until 2022.

Johnson commended Rand Paul for persisting in acquiring documents related to Fauci, revealing that hard drives and thumb drives with information from Fauci’s devices were finally obtained. However, he believes more documents remain undisclosed.

Senator Johnson recently assumed leadership of the Senate Budget Committee. He discussed a new strategy concerning the filibuster process while on the podcast. He warned that if Democrats regain full control of Congress, they might eliminate the filibuster to pass initiatives with a simple party-line vote.

He proposed a plan to ensure Democrats are on record concerning the filibuster. “The only way I see the Democrats not ending the filibuster is by having them vote against ending it,” Johnson expressed. “Make sure it’s a solid Senate rule that requires 67 votes to end the filibuster, preventing use of the nuclear option.”