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By Victor Nava

March 21, 2023 | 8:42pm

Sen. Rand Paul ripped into Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg on Tuesday over his handling of the criminal investigation into Donald Trump that might lead to the former president being indicted.

A Trump indictment would be a disgusting abuse of power. The DA should be put in jail, Paul (R-Ky.) wrote in a scathing tweet on Tuesday.

Paul is the latest Republican to accuse Bragg of leading a politically motivated investigation into the 76-year-old former president, who is accused of directing a $130,000 hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016 in exchange for her silence about an alleged 2006 affair.

House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) wrote to the Democratic Manhattan DA on Monday calling his plans to charge Trump an unprecedented abuse of prosecutorial authority.

The two lawmakers stopped short of Pauls demand that Bragg be jailed, but asked the prosecutor to hand over documents and testify about what plainly appears to be a politically motivated prosecution of the ex commander-in-chief.

Trump himself, who announced over the weekend that he expected to be arrested on Tuesday, has accused Bragg of Prosecutorial Misconduct and Interference with an Election. Last November, Trump declared that he would be running for president again in 2024.

Investigate the Investigators! the former president wrote in a Truth Social post on Sunday.

Even Trumps top potential 2024 GOP presidential primary rival has criticized Bragg for his efforts to charge the former president.

While indicating that he wouldnt get involved in any way, Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday called Bragg a [George] Soros-funded prosecutor that is using the Manhattan DAs office to impose a political agenda.

He, like other Soros-funded prosecutors, they weaponize their office to impose a political agenda on society at the expense of the rule of law and public safety, DeSantis told reporters during a news conference on Monday.

DeSantis went on to call Bragg and other Soros-backed district attorneys a menace to society for their soft-on-crime policies.

Pauls tweet Tuesday wasnt the first time hes singled out Bragg on social media.

In July 2022, the senator shared a news report on Braggs offices decision to go easy on a 16-year-old with three prior felony arrests after the teen allegedly assaulted a police officer who confronted him for not paying his subway fare.

Democrat DA allows a violent attack on a cop to go unpunished Paul said in the tweet, referring to Bragg.

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Rand Paul calls for DA Alvin Bragg to be jailed for disgusting abuse of power in Trump probe - New York Post

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:March 21, 2023Contact:Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov,202-224-4343

WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, continued his longtime efforts to return war making powers to Congress by introducing an amendment to repeal the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF).

As we vote to repeal the 1991 and 2002 AUMFs, we need to take the additional step of also repealing the Authorization for the war in Afghanistan. The 2001 authorization to bring the 9/11 terrorists to justice was warranted, but like the Iraq war, the Afghan war has long ago ended yet its authorization remains on the books, said Dr. Paul. War is sometimes necessary, but going to war should not be the decision of one person. Ending congressional authorization for the Gulf war, Iraq war and Afghanistan war returns the war power to the American people and their representatives.

Dr. Pauls amendment would formally end the authorization for the Afghanistan war nearly 22 years after the AUMF was first passed. It would sunset the 2001 AUMF after six months, during which time Congress can debate exactly where and how to authorize future force.

The amendment was introduced ahead of the Senate voting on bipartisan legislation to repeal the 1991 and 2002 AUMFs, formally ending the Gulf and Iraq wars, which Dr. Paul cosponsored.

Background:

Recently, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which Dr. Paul is a member of, debated legislation to repeal the 1991 and 2002 AUMFs, it was approved out of committee by a vote of 13-8.

Dr. Paul continues to be a leading voice in Congress on the need to repeal outdated AUMFs to prevent potential misuse by the executive branch. He has also raised concerns over the use of military force without congressional authorization.

Ahead of introducing his amendment, Dr. Paul wrote an op-ed which was published by Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, you can read it HERE. Dr. Paul also recorded remarks on his amendment which can be viewed HERE.

You can read Dr. Pauls amendment in its entirety HERE.

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Dr. Rand Paul Continues Efforts to Return War Powers to Congress ... - Senator Rand Paul

Correction: A previous version of this story misspelled Associate Professor Stephen Voss name. The error has been corrected. (March 22, 2023)

WASHINGTON Sen. Rand Paul is the top-ranking Republican on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. The Senates primary oversight group. The committees responsibilities include studying the efficiency, economy, and effectiveness of all agencies and departments of the federal government.

Oversight is an important job, Paul said in an interview with Spectrum News.

Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., serves as the partys oversight lead in the House of Representatives. Since Republicans gained control of the House in January, Comer gets to set the agenda there. Democrats remain in control in the Senate.

Im essentially the ranking member of the equivalent committee on our side, Paul explained. In my particular instance, I have to convince Democrats to be interested in any of this because most of the power goes to the majority party.

Pauls seat was one of the first races called on Election Night in November and he spoke confidently about the red wave of support for Republicans. During his acceptance speech, he detailed what topics he would take on if he became chairman of a committee.

Sometimes your predictions arent right, Paul said. In the Senate race we have, you know, three or four states each time that are very, very close and we didnt win them.

When it comes to his goals as ranking member, Paul said Republicans will try to put a focus on the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, Paul made lots of headlines sparring at committee hearings with Dr. Anthony Fauci, who at the time was the nations top infectious disease expert.

He [Paul] started injecting himself into controversial national issues even while he was running for his first election to take his Senate seat, said Stephen Voss with the Department of Politics at the University of Kentucky. He has continued, for the most part, to be that sort of flashpoint, controversial warrior type of member of Congress.

During a recent Homeland Security Committee meeting, Paul tried to submit an amendment that would punish fire departments that required COVID-19 vaccinations by making them ineligible for federal grants.

Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., the chairman of the committee decided to override Pauls amendment and avoid a vote.

If this is the way you are going to run the committee, I would suggest Republicans leave, Paul said to the group. I dont see why we should stick around.

This interaction led Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., to address both leaders asking them to take a couple of minutes to lower the temperature.

Theres no need for us to turn this committee hearing into a partisan, ugly place like weve seen in other committees, Sinema said.

Paul later walked out of the committee meeting. Peters told reporters he hopes to find common ground with Paul in the future which Paul will need in order to get things accomplished while serving in the minority.

Also, at the top of Pauls list to focus on is reducing what he calls government waste. Paul, a libertarian-leaning lawmaker, started holding press conferences with a group of other Republicans who call themselves the Breakfast Club late last term. The group generally feels the partys leadership in the Senate is not conservative enough when it comes to spending.

Its a group that feels like we need to do more about spending and debt. Its the primary thing that brings us together, said Paul. In some of the recent battles, such as the end of the year omnibus spending, one its wrong to lump all the spending together in one bill. Its wrong to put it up against a deadline like Christmas and just force it through.

Another member of the Breakfast Club is Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., Scott challenged Kentuckys senior senator, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, in the race for leader at the beginning of the term. In a private vote, McConnell was re-elected by senate Republicans in a 37-10 vote.

Sometimes being the thorn in the side of your party leaders can result in influence, explained Voss. But, its a dangerous game. Much of the power in Congress results from you helping people when the need it and then they turn around and reciprocate.

In addition to serving as ranking member of Homeland Security, Paul serves on the Foreign Relations Committee, the Health, Labor and Pensions Committee and the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee this term.

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Sen. Rand Paul serves as top Republican on Homeland Security ... - Spectrum News 1

FIRST ON FOX: Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul blasted former National Institutes of Allergy & Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Director Dr. Anthony Fauci after Fauci denied allegations he froze out former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Robert Redfield from a key COVID-19 origins conference call.

Fauci was accused of freezing out Redfield from a February 2020 conference call regarding the origins of COVID-19 during Wednesdays explosive hearing from the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic.

The former NIAID director rejected the allegations in a Fox News interview Thursday, saying House Judiciary Committee chairman Jim Jordans allegations of bribing scientists and a "freeze-out" of Redfield are "preposterous."

FAUCI REJECTS CLAIMS HE FROZE OUT LAB-LEAK PROPONENTS, ENGAGED IN NIH FUNDING BRIBE

Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul blasted former National Institutes of Allergy & Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci after Fauci disputed allegations of freezing out former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield from a COVID-19 origin conference call.

Paul torched Fauci in a statement to Fox News Digital, saying the former NIAID director "did indeed lie to Congress about approving gain of function research in Wuhan."

"It is a fact that the scientists that Fauci convinced to change their minds on the lab leak theory were shortly thereafter given million-dollar increases in their NIH," Paul said.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Paul, a frequent sparring partner with Fauci during hearings last Congress, has been a critic of gain of function research, which many say caused the COVID-19 pandemic in a Chinese lab leak.

Paul torched Fauci in a statement to Fox News Digital, saying the former NIAID director "did indeed lie to Congress about approving gain of function research in Wuhan."

Redfield said during Wednesdays hearing he believes gain of function research "probably caused the greatest pandemic our world has seen" when asked by select subcommittee chairman Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, if gain of function research has ever stopped a pandemic.

COVID LAB LEAK THEORY: RAND PAUL SAYS BIDEN SHOULD DECLASSIFY DOCS AFTER ENERGY DEPARTMENT REVERSAL

Redfield also answered in the negative when Wenstrup asked if he believed there are any "tangible benefits" to gain of function research.

Redfield said during Wednesdays hearing he believes gain of function research "probably caused the greatest pandemic our world has seen" while under questioning by select subcommittee Chairman Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio.

The former CDC director also stressed that his scientist colleagues who engage in the research are "people of good faith" who "truly believe" the research will yield benefits.

Story continues

"I personally dont, but I do want to stress, I think the men and women that support it are people of good faith because they truly believe its going to lead to a potential benefit," Redfield said.

"I disagree with that assessment."

Fox News Digital's Charles Creitz contributed reporting.

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Rand Paul blasts Fauci after freeze-out allegations: a fact Fauci ...

Dr. Anthony Fauci said that he has been totally "honest" during his time as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and spoke on his previous disputes with Republicans, especially Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.

"The most important thing weve got to do is stick with data, stick with science, be transparent and be honest, which I have been very much so literally for the entire 50 years that Ive been at the NIH and the 38 years that I directed the institute," Fauci said on CNN Tuesday.

Fauci was responding to questions from host Anderson Cooper on whether the new Republican-led House would be as "contentious" with him as Kentucky Senator Rand Paul has been at past congressional hearings.

RAND PAUL ACCUSES FAUCI OF ENGAGING IN 'COVER-UP' OF COVID ORIGINS AS HOUSE GOP EMBARKS ON PROBE

Dr. Anthony Fauci said that he has been totally "transparent" and "honest" during his time as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). ((Jim Lo Scalzo/Pool via AP))

"That was an unfortunate interchange with Senator Paul, but that was Senator Paul being Senator Paul," Fauci said of his previous disputes with the senator.

Paul and Fauci have had a number of highly publicized clashes both in congressional hearings and online, with both sides accusing the other of dishonesty.

In one incident during 2021, Fauci blasted Paul during a debate about gain-of-function research and argued that "if anyone is lying here," it was Paul.

Fauci also responded to revelations from the Biden administrations Energy Department that the lab leak theory was a likely origin of COVID, a view that was recently echoed by FBI Director Christopher Wray.

But Fauci played both sides of the COVID debate, saying that it is "very tough to tell" one way or the other about the origins of the disease.

HOUSE COMMITTEE SAYS FAUCI 'PROMPTED' DRAFTING OF MEDICAL PAPER TO 'DISPROVE' COVID LAB LEAK THEORY

Fauci played both sides of the COVID debate, saying that it is "very tough to tell" one way or the other about the origins of the disease. (Photo by GREG NASH/POOL/AFP via Getty Images | Photographer: Greg Nash/The Hill/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"It just still remains unknown at this particular point. There are two theories, as were all familiar with now; one is a lab leak theory, the other is it was a natural occurrence from an animal spillover."

Some members of Congress have questioned Faucis position on the origins of COVID, especially in the early days of the pandemic. Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan argued that the fundamental question behind COVID was answering why Fauci was "so consumed with making sure the narrative wasn't about the lab" during a Fox News appearance Sunday.

Fauci concluded that the world may never know the true origins of COVID in his interview with Cooper.

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"If it turns out to be a lab leak, you want to be very much more stringent in the controls of the experiments that you allow to be done. So, it is relevant to understand. Whether or not we ever will know, Anderson, Im not sure, but it certainly is important to know."

Jeffrey Clark is an associate editor for Fox News Digital. He has previously served as a speechwriter for a cabinet secretary and as a Fulbright teacher in South Korea. Jeffrey graduated from the University of Iowa in 2019 with a degree in English and History.

Story tips can be sent to jeffrey.clark@fox.com.

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Fauci talks clashes with Rand Paul, Republicans: I've been 'honest' my ...