'We demand answers': Republicans introduce bill to fire Anthony Fauci over COVID response

In the latest blow for US top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci, several Republican lawmakers on June 15 introduced a bill to fire the face of America’s efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Eager to blame Fauci for the government’s official response to the health crisis, Rep Majorie Taylor Greene led a handful of lawmakers in Congress in announcing ‘Fire Fauci Act’ on Tuesday that would reduce the medical expert’s government salary to zero and even require the Senate to confirm someone to fill his position. 

Fauci, the director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief adviser of several Presidents of the country, became a trusted figure for most of the United States amid the COVID-19 crisis. He started his work off with former US President Donald Trump administration to stem the drastic surge of cases in the White House coronavirus task force. However, his image suffered a blow with conservatives in the country taking an aim at his performance and accusing him of misleading the Americans, providing contradictory advice on masks and social distancing. 

“Dr Fauci was not elected by the American people. He was not chosen to guide our economy. He was not chosen to rule over parents and their children's education," Greene told reporters. “But yet Dr Fauci very much controlled our lives for the past year."

Reportedly, the ambitious move by republicans is destined to fail in the Democratically-controlled House. Greene said, “It's time to fire Dr. Anthony Fauci and give answers to the American people.” However, the White House defended the country’s top infectious disease expert and called the 80-year-old “an undeniable asset” in the COVID-19 pandemic response. Apart from targeting Fauci, Greene also lambasted China. She said, “Why would there ever be viruses created, taken out of nature, that can be shared and passed among bats or other creatures, and then harnessed and changed into some sort of virus that can be spread among people? There's a word for that: it's called bioweapon.”

“Were we all victims of a bioweapon? We demand answers,” Greene added.

Donald Trump called Fauci ‘a great promoter’

Earlier, former US President Donald Trump unleashed sharp attacks on the country’s top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci over the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, demanded reparations from China where the disease was first discovered and condemned the probe into his finances. While speaking in Greenville, North Carolina as the Republican Party convention of the state, Trump also hinted towards contesting in the next presidential elections in 2024. Denouncing Fauci’s frequent television appearances, former US President called the medical expert, “not a great doctor but a great promoter.”

“But he’s been wrong on almost every issue and he was wrong on Wuhan and the lab also,” Trump said about Fauci.

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