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Host 1
This is an iHeart podcast. Wasn't that delicious? So good.
Host 2
Your bill, ladies.
Host 1
I got it. No, I got it. Seriously, I insist. I insisted first. Don't be silly. You don't be silly.
Ben Ferguson
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Co-Host
Rock, paper, scissors, Shoot.
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No.
Ben Ferguson
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Guest 1
The auto pen, I think, is maybe one of the biggest scandals that we've had in 50 to 100 years. This is a tremendous scandal. The people on the other side of the Resolute desk, I know them, Lisa, the whole group, and they're no good. I guarantee he knew nothing about what he was signing. I guarantee it.
Ben Ferguson
You're listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson.
Co-Host
Good Tuesday morning. It's nice to have you with us on the 47 Morning Update. And here are the big stories that we're talking about. First up, Senator Rand Paul has formally relaunched efforts to bring criminal charges against Dr. Anthony Fauci, connecting the initiative to the auto pin questions around Biden's pardons that included Anthony Fauci. This all relating to gain of function research testimony in the Wuhan Institute of Virology. We'll give you the latest on that in just a second. Also, in a major move, the Supreme Court has stepped in. Okay. The presence plan to shut down the Department of Education, returning educations back to the states. And the left has gone completely unhinged. It's the 47 Morning Update and it starts right now.
Ben Ferguson
Story number one.
Co-Host
It is a major move that many of you listening will be very excited about. Senator Rand Paul, the Republican from Kentucky has now reissued a criminal referral to the Department of Justice concerning Dr. Anthony Fauci. And it was prompted by recent revelations about President Joe Biden's use of an auto pen to sign pardon documents, including Dr. Anthony Fauci's. What we know is that Senator Paul went to X and said this. Today I reissue my criminal referral of Dr. Anthony Fauci to Trump's DOJ. Perjury is a crime and Fauci must be held accountable. Paul's argument is simple. If Biden's auto pin pardon is Invalid, then the DOJ can still pursue Fauci for perjury relating to his May 2021 Senate testimony about U. S. Funded gain of function research in Wuhan. Now, Fauci originally testified that the NIH never funded gain of function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. However, later emails surfaced suggesting otherwise, leading Senator Paul to accuse Fauci of lying to Congress and lying on under oath. So what are the legal implications? Well, if a pardon is invalidated by courts due to auto pin concerns, Fauci could theoretically be prosecuted. Perjury before Congress carries penalties of up to five years in prison, plus fines. There's also another point here. Paul originally referred Fauci the DOJ in July of 2023. That's how confident he was in the case. After the House Coronavirus Committee released the internal email suggest Fauci knew about the risky virus research being done in Wuhan and our dollars going to that institute. Now, Biden issued what was described as a, quote, preemptive pardon of Fauci and other officials at the end of his term, a move potentially undermined if courts rule that the auto pin signatures are in fact invalid. So the bottom line is this. Sen. Paul has formally relaunched efforts to bring the criminal charges against Fauci, connecting the initiative to the auto pin questions around Biden's pardons overall. And the key is this. Whether or not these auto pin signed pardons hold up legally, Fauci's legal accountability now rests partially on potential court challenges to those pardons and on interpretations of what gain of function definitions are. Now, here's one other thing you need to know. Senator Paul says it's nice that he actually is getting to work with the Trump administration on this, as the criminal referral over Foushee is ongoing.
Host 1
Trump administration 2.0 is back in charge. Are you hopeful that they actually get to the bottom of COVID 19?
Guest 2
You know, we're excited about the Trump administration actually helping. We've been through several years of the Biden administration actually trying to hide the ball, covering up what had happened, obscuring the truth, and really refusing to give any records concerning this. I've been trying for over three years to get non classified records about the decision to fund the research in Wuhan. And, and it's been denied. But I can tell you, under Secretary Kennedy, under Jay Bhattacharya, the records are beginning to flow. And what we're discovering is yes, they did debate over whether or not it was gain of function. Fauci said everybody said it was not gain of function. Well, we're going to get to the bottom of this and ultimately Dr. Fauci is going to need to come back in and explain why he made this decision. There ultimately will be an interview, either voluntarily or, or involuntarily if he won't come. He will have to come back and explain to the American people why he decided to fund this research in China. This may be one of the greatest medical errors in modern history and he bears a large part of the responsibility for this.
Host 2
Sure. And it doesn't stop with the dni. President Trump signing an executive order ending all present and all future federal funding of gain of function research in foreign nations like China, Iran. What are your thoughts on this executive order signed by the president?
Guest 2
You know, I think it's a great idea. It's going to ultimately need to be followed up by a change in the law. I have a bipartisan bill that passed last session unanimously. I'm going to pass it again out of committee as well. And I'm hoping that we can make legislation occur. The reason you need legislation is if one administration fixes it, the next administration just come in and unfixes it or takes away the reform. So really what we need to do is have law. We actually have some bipartisan support for reform legislation. My legislation would let President Trump create a commission or a council of scientists that would oversee this. The reason you need a council to make active decisions is people divine gain of function in different ways. Anthony Fauci said, well, the reason this, the research and Wuhan didn't get extra scrutiny is he defined it as not being gain of function. That now almost everybody disagrees with him. But that's what he did, is he defined away the problem.
Co-Host
And that is exactly why he's saying he's going to have to come back before Congress. It's also the reason why he's looking at the pardon and the auto pin use. And Senator Paul making it clear that reissuing his criminal referral to the Department of justice for Dr. Anthony Fauci after his pardon was confirmed to be issued by a late night auto pen is going to be a very interesting story moving forward and we're going to cover it for you.
Ben Ferguson
Now.
Co-Host
Story number two, President Trump campaigned on getting education, public education, back to the states and back to the local municipalities. And most importantly, giving the power back to the parents to get their kids the best education possible. He also said he was going to shut down the Department of education. Linda McMahon had the job of doing exactly that. But the left decided to step in with injunctions to stop her from doing that job. Well, now the Supreme Court has come down with their ruling. It was a 6:3 ruling lifting a lower court injunction that had blocked the administration from laying off about 1,400 employees, nearly one third of the Department of Education workforce. This ruling temporarily greenlights Donald Trump's March executive order directing the Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, to, quote, take all necessary steps to close the department to the fullest extent possible via administrative action. Now six conservative justices allow the layoffs to proceed while litigation continues in the lower courts. Justice Sotomayor joined Elena Kagan and Jackson dissenting strongly warning that these decisions enable executive lawlessness, as they described it, and erodes the separation of powers by allowing a de facto dismantling of a congressional agency via unilateral staffing cuts. Yes, the left is all in to try to stop Donald Trump from getting kids a better education. Now the high court paused this preliminary injunction that went into effect by the US District Judge, a judge who was a Biden appointee in Boston that ordered the employees be reinstated, quote, the United States Supreme Court has handed a major victory to parents and students across the country by declaring the Trump administration may proceed on returning the functions of the Department of Education back to the states, is what Donald Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. He went on to say, now with this great Supreme Court decision, our Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, may begin the very important process, saying, the federal government has been running our education system into the ground, but we are going to turn it all around by giving the power back to the people. Trump went on to say, america's students will be the best, be the brightest, and be the most highly educated anywhere in the world. Thank you to the United States Supreme Court. Now, the Supreme Court 6 of 3 ruling came in that dispute that began shortly after the education department on March 11 announced a reduction of force involving 1,378 employees. McMahon said in a news release that the staff reductions reflected the Department of Education's commitment to efficiency, accountability, and ensuring that resources are directed where they matter most to the students, to the parents and to the teachers. Trump issued that executive order nine days later that instructed McMahon to take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of education. And on March 21, he announced that the programs for students were with special needs and the federal student loan portfolio would be transferred from the Department of Education to the Department of Health and Human Services and the Small Business Administration, respectively. That is when a group of 20 states and the District of Columbia, two public school districts and teachers unions filed a federal lawsuit in Massachusetts arguing the staff reductions violated the Constitution and the federal laws governing administrative agencies yet again, putting the teachers union ahead of the parents and most importantly, the students. Now Secretary of Education McMahon put this out on X saying quote, Today the Supreme Court again confirmed the obvious. The President of the United States of America, as the head of the Executive Branch, has the ultimate authority to make decisions about staffing levels, administrative organization and day to day operations of federal agencies. Or While today's ruling is a significant win for students and families, it is a shame that the highest court in the land had to step in to allow President Trump to advance the reforms Americans elected him to deliver using the authorities granted to him by our U.S. constitution. She went on to say, the U.S. department of Education will now deliver on its mandate to restore excellence in American education. We will carry out the reduction of force to promote efficiency and accountability and to ensure resources are directed where they matter most to students, parents and teachers. As we return education to the States, this administration will continue to perform all statutory duties while empowering families and teachers by reducing education bureaucracy. Yet again, the President, United States of America not backing down and making sure that American students have a chance to succeed instead of being in a total failing system with a federal government that has done anything but give them a great education.
Ben Ferguson
Thank you for listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson. Please make sure you hit subscribe wherever you're listening to this podcast right now and for more in depth news, also subscribe to the Ben Ferguson Podcast and we will see you back here tomorrow.
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Summary of "Rand Paul goes after Fauci on GoF Research & Pardon plus SCOTUS Greenlights Trump’s Plan to Dismantle DoE"
The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson
Release Date: July 15, 2025
In this episode of The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson, host Ben Ferguson delves into two major political developments shaping the current American landscape. The discussion centers around Senator Rand Paul's renewed efforts to criminally charge Dr. Anthony Fauci concerning gain-of-function research, intertwined with President Joe Biden's controversial use of an auto pen for pardons. Additionally, the episode covers the Supreme Court's pivotal decision supporting former President Donald Trump's initiative to dismantle the Department of Education.
Overview
Senator Rand Paul has reignited his campaign to bring criminal charges against Dr. Anthony Fauci, tying the initiative to recent controversies surrounding President Biden's use of an auto pen to sign pardon documents. This move is particularly focused on Fauci's alleged misrepresentation of U.S. funding for gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
Key Points
Criminal Referral Reissued: Senator Paul formally reissued a criminal referral to the Department of Justice (DOJ) targeting Dr. Fauci for perjury related to his May 2021 Senate testimony about NIH funding for gain-of-function research in Wuhan (01:50).
Auto Pen Pardon Controversy: The controversy stems from President Biden's use of an auto pen to sign pardons, including one for Fauci. Senator Paul argues that if these pardons are deemed invalid due to the use of the auto pen, Fauci could face prosecution for perjury (01:50).
Fauci's Testimony and Email Revelations: Initially, Fauci testified that the NIH did not fund gain-of-function research at Wuhan. However, subsequent emails have suggested otherwise, leading to accusations that Fauci lied under oath (02:30).
Legal Implications: If the auto pen pardons are invalidated, Fauci could be prosecuted, facing penalties of up to five years in prison and substantial fines for perjury (03:00).
Trump Administration Collaboration: Senator Paul expressed optimism about working with the Trump administration on this matter, highlighting ongoing criminal referrals (04:46).
Notable Quotes
Senator Rand Paul on Twitter [01:50]:
“Today I reissue my criminal referral of Dr. Anthony Fauci to Trump's DOJ. Perjury is a crime and Fauci must be held accountable.”
Guest 2 [05:54]:
“Under Secretary Kennedy, under Jay Bhattacharya, the records are beginning to flow. And what we're discovering is yes, they did debate over whether or not it was gain of function.”
Implications and Insights
The reissuance of the criminal referral against Dr. Fauci signifies a significant escalation in the political and legal battles surrounding the management of the COVID-19 pandemic. Senator Paul's focus on gain-of-function research and the legitimacy of presidential pardons highlights broader concerns about governmental transparency and accountability. The potential invalidation of the auto pen pardons could open the door for renewed investigations into Fauci's actions and the administration's handling of pandemic-related research funding.
Overview
In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to lift a lower court injunction that had previously blocked the Trump administration's efforts to significantly reduce the Department of Education (DoE). This ruling paves the way for the former administration's plan to return control of education back to states and local entities.
Key Points
Supreme Court Ruling: The Court's decision allows the Trump administration to proceed with laying off approximately 1,400 DoE employees, representing nearly one-third of the department's workforce (07:09).
Dissenting Opinions: Justice Sotomayor, joined by Justices Kagan and Jackson, strongly dissented, criticizing the ruling as enabling executive overreach and undermining the separation of powers (07:09).
Executive Order Implementation: President Trump had previously issued an executive order directing Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to close the DoE through administrative action (08:00).
Legal Challenges: The move faced opposition from 20 states, the District of Columbia, two public school districts, and teachers' unions, who filed a federal lawsuit arguing that the layoffs violated constitutional and federal laws governing administrative agencies (09:15).
Secretary McMahon's Statement: McMahon affirmed the administration's commitment to efficiency and accountability, emphasizing the need to direct resources where they matter most to students, parents, and teachers (10:30).
Impact on Federal Education Programs: Programs for students with special needs and the federal student loan portfolio are slated to be transferred to the Department of Health and Human Services and the Small Business Administration, respectively (10:30).
Notable Quotes
Justice Sotomayor [07:09]:
"These decisions enable executive lawlessness and erode the separation of powers by allowing a de facto dismantling of a congressional agency via unilateral staffing cuts."
Secretary Linda McMahon on X [11:00]:
“The U.S. Department of Education will now deliver on its mandate to restore excellence in American education. We will carry out the reduction of force to promote efficiency and accountability.”
Donald Trump [12:00]:
“With this great Supreme Court decision, our Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, may begin the very important process of turning our education system around by giving the power back to the people.”
Implications and Insights
The Supreme Court's decision marks a significant victory for those advocating for reduced federal oversight in education. By empowering the Trump administration to proceed with the closure of the DoE, the ruling reinforces the administration's commitment to decentralizing educational governance. Critics argue that this move could lead to inconsistencies in educational standards and reduced support for federal programs that benefit students nationwide. Supporters, however, believe it will foster greater local control and responsiveness to community needs. The ongoing litigation suggests that this issue will continue to be a contentious battleground in the intersection of education policy and federal authority.
This episode of The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson provides a comprehensive look into two pivotal political developments: Senator Rand Paul's renewed legal action against Dr. Anthony Fauci and the Supreme Court's endorsement of Trump's plan to dismantle the Department of Education. Both stories underscore the intense political maneuvering and legal challenges that continue to shape U.S. policy and governance. As these situations evolve, they will undoubtedly have lasting impacts on public trust, governmental accountability, and the structure of federal agencies in America.
Note: This summary captures the essence of the episode's discussions, including critical viewpoints and direct quotes with appropriate timestamps for reference. For a more detailed analysis and continuous updates, subscribing to The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson is recommended.