Dr. Fauci is still receiving taxpayer-funded security and limo — treatment Sen. Paul says is reserved for former presidents

 Fox News revealed on Monday that Dr. Anthony Fauci is receiving taxpayer-funded security despite retiring from government service last year.

What is the background?

Last month, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) wrote Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, requesting information "regarding Dr. Fauci’s employment status and receipt of taxpayer-funded benefits." Though Fauci touted his plan to retire from government service at the conclusion of 2022, Paul wrote that "it is not clear if that is in fact the case." 

"This raises questions about Dr. Fauci’s current employment status and whether he is still receiving certain taxpayer-funded benefits associated with active public service, such as legal counsel and protective services," Paul said.

What is happening now?

Fox News host Jesse Watters reported that sources told him Fauci was still receiving "'round-the-clock," government-provided security despite now being a private citizen. His staff followed up with the tip, filing a Freedom of Information Act request.

As a result, the U.S. marshals confirmed that, at the request of Attorney General Merrick Garland, Dr. Fauci is receiving taxpayer-funded security, which includes a limousine and "follow car," Fox News reported. Documents obtained through the FOIA request showed that the security detail will last through September 2023, but it may be extended. 

It's not clear how much the detail is costing American taxpayers.  

Appearing on Watters' show, Paul confirmed the development.

"We asked HHS early in the summer. We asked is he still working and does he have this limo and does he have a driver and does he have a security detail?" Paul explained. "HHS actually came back to us and said they haven't been paying for it since January. But then we discovered that Fox did a Freedom of Information Act and a judge forced them to say that, well, while HHS wasn't directly funding it, the U.S. Marshals were funding it.

"Can you imagine? We asked the government, 'Are you funding his limo and his driver and his security detail?' And they say, 'Oh, we're not doing it; somebody else is doing it and then we're reimbursing them'," Paul continued.

"So it's a terrible example of the government lying to its representatives and to the people," the senator declared. "But also, why is a retired guy, the only retired official I know of that gets this kind of treatment is a former president."

Paul said it remains unclear whether Fauci is also receiving government-provided legal counsel.