Dr. Anthony Fauci’s net worth virtually doubled during the pandemic, from $7.6 million in 2019 to $12.6 million in 2021, according to official disclosures.
While Fauci retired as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in December of last year, it’s reported he continues to receive government protection, costing taxpayers $1 million every month.
U.S. Rep. Dale Strong said that’s a wasteful expense because Fauci can easily afford his own security.
“When I discovered that Dr. Fauci still had a taxpayer-funded driver and personal guards after he stepped down, I felt that it was another example of Washington bureaucrats putting themselves above the American people,” Strong (R-Huntsville) said.
“Our country is $33 trillion in debt. Taxpayers shouldn’t be paying for Dr. Fauci’s security detail, especially when Fauci was one of the highest-paid federal employees in the U.S.”
Strong (R-Monrovia) introduced a bill Wednesday to accomplish that: “No Taxpayer Funded Detail for Anthony Fauci.”
“Biden’s bureaucrats, and Dr. Fauci himself, have lost sight of the fact that every dollar they spend comes from the pockets of hardworking Americans,” Strong said. “As your representative in Congress, I am committed to safeguarding the hard-earned dollars of American taxpayers and ensuring that our government operates with fiscal responsibility.”
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Reports have shown Fauci technically remains on staff at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) so he keeps eligibility for a U.S. Marshals detail.
Strong said his bill will close this loophole.
“Public service is about exactly that, serving the American people,” Strong said. “Continuing to fund security details for retired government employees is an unnecessary burden on our already strained federal budget.
“The state of Alabama has always emphasized the importance of responsible financial stewardship when it comes to taxpayer dollars.”
Grayson Everett is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @Grayson270
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