U.S. Senator Rand Paul talked about COVID-19 treatment efforts and his recent confrontation with protesters near the White House following President Donald Trump’s Republican National Convention speech, during a Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce event Thursday.
Paul called the protesters near the White House a “menacing and threatening crowd” in recalling the confrontation during the virtual event. He previously claimed without evidence he was “attacked by an angry mob” in describing the confrontation.
“They wanted me to say ‘Breonna Taylor.’ The irony that was lost on these hooligans was that I introduced a bill a month before called the, ‘Justice for Breonna Taylor Act,’” said Paul. “It basically has a federal ban of any money to any police force that is still using no-knock raids.”
Paul is referring to a bill he introduced in June that would block state and local law enforcement agencies that use no-knock warrants from receiving federal funding. The bill is named after Breonna Taylor, a Black woman killed by Louisville law enforcement during the execution of a no-knock search warrant.
He also mentioned how he would support the use of thousands of national guardsmen in the streets of Louisville to protect people and property following an investigation by Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron regarding whether or not Louisville Metro Police Department officers will be charged in Breonna Taylor’s death.
Paul also said he believes a COVID-19 vaccine would be made available in the fall, and that getting the vaccine should be optional. He said it was a mistake to close down the economy so quickly amid the pandemic because of subsequent economic damage.
“We can't do this every year, every time a new virus comes out. We can't shut the economy down and it's a misery right now what's happening. And we can't just print money up and give it to you either,” said Paul.
Paul in past months made claims about COVID-19 that went against scientific findings including a false claim he made that there have been fewer deaths from the novel coronavirus than the flu. Paul was the first U.S. senator to test positive for COVID-19.
Paul during his comments at the virtual event also said there is a study publishing this week that would show the controversial drug hydroxychloroquine as “a benefit” for COVID-19 treatment.
The National Institutes of Health currently recommends against the use of hydroxychloroquine in treating COVID-19 patients due to potential heart problems as a side effect, among other potential health issues in its use.
Paul also mentioned the antiviral drug remdesivir has “significantly helped” outcomes with COVID-19 patients. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration expanded the emergency authorization of remdesivir for COVID-19 treatment in late August.
