Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul pushed yet another Covid-19 conspiracy theory during an appearance on Fox News, absurdly claiming that Democrats are "plucking" sick children from the U.S.-Mexico border and planting them around the country as part of a larger plan to "seed" the highly contagious Delta variant—and create other deadly variants—across the United States.
Yes, you read that correctly.
Paul said:
"They're taking kids from down at the border who may have it, and they're plucking them up and putting them all over the United States, as if they're wishing to seed the country with a new variant. It's an awful thing to do."
You can hear Paul's comments in the video below.
Shameless Human Misinformation Vector Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) claims Democrats are "plucking" kids with COVID from the border "and putting them all over the United States as if they're wishing to seed the country with a new variant."pic.twitter.com/MvFp44ge8C— The Recount (@The Recount) 1628182147
There is no evidence to support Paul's allegations. He was resoundingly criticized.
And as others noted, the unvaccinated are doing a good job of spreading the virus themselves. They certainly don't need the help of pregnant women or migrant children.
Rand Paul thinks that Dems are trying to "seed" the country with border kids to spread the new Delta variant. With bullshit like this no wonder his neighbor "planted" his ass in the ground.— Amy Lynn\ud83e\udde6\u2764\ufe0f (@Amy Lynn\ud83e\udde6\u2764\ufe0f) 1628189053
I think we have a winner in the most bizarre COVID bullshit contest. However, #Deathsantis is a close 2nd.https://flip.it/ERAWhj— BernieKram (@BernieKram) 1628186116
Rand Paul, self certified eye doctor, claims migrant children are being used to 'seed' new COVID-19 variants in bizarre rant on Faux News. Poor Rand still thinks he's the smartest person in the room when he definitely isn't and proves it almost everyday.https://www.rawstory.com/rand-paul-claims-migrants-are-being-used-to-seed-new-19-variants-in-bizarre-fox-news-rant/\u00a0\u2026— Positively 4Th Street (@Positively 4Th Street) 1628209353
Post-Covid permanent cognitive impairment is real.https://www.rawstory.com/rand-paul-claims-migrants-are-being-used-to-seed-new-19-variants-in-bizarre-fox-news-rant/\u00a0\u2026— MK Hamilton (@MK Hamilton) 1628192423
Sounds like a lot of work when the anti-vaxxers are doing that just fine all by themselves.\n\n@RandPaul claims migrant children are being used to 'seed' new COVID-19 variants in bizarre Fox News ranthttps://www.rawstory.com/rand-paul-claims-migrants-are-being-used-to-seed-new-19-variants-in-bizarre-fox-news-rant/\u00a0\u2026— Geo Steve (@Geo Steve) 1628196933
Paul is no stranger to conspiracy theories. He's been called out multiple times over the last year for sharing Covid-19 misinformation, perhaps most notably by Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading expert on infectious diseases.
Paul has even gone as far as to claim that Americans should not presume experts know best when it comes to handling the coronavirus pandemic.
Paul's conspiracy theory brings to mind remarks Texas Republican Representative Louie Gohmert made in June.
At the time, Gohmert alleged that foreign women are having babies in the United States in the hope of breeding the next generation of terrorists.
Speaking on the floor of the House, Gohmert said:
"It appeared they would have young women who became pregnant [and] would get them into the United States to have a baby. They wouldn't even have to pay anything for the baby."
"And then they would return back where they could be raised and coddled as future terrorists. And then one day, 20, 30 years down the road, they can be sent in to help destroy our way of life."
There is no evidence to support that theory either. But since when has a lack of any credible evidence stopped politicians like Paul and Gohmert before?
The fact is that the pandemic has continued largely because an unvaccinated contingent is spreading Covid-19 and its variants nationwide. The jury is out on whether Paul will one day accept it.
@coyleray/Instagram