Welcome back to the Old North State Update. This is edition #30 for 2026.
THE BIG STORY
Fauci takes Five
Dr. Anthony Fauci took the Fifth Amendment — 111 times — when grilled by the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday over his COVID activities and on gain of function research.
Fauci brought his attorney, who insisted on sitting with Fauci despite not being recognized at the hearing and tried to interrupt the proceedings. Sen. Rand Paul had the attorney ejected from the hearing by the Committee’s Chair Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY).
Paul’s opening remarks covered Fauci’s involvement and the impacts during the pandemic.
There were other several explosive moments where lawmakers unloaded on Fauci. Those moments were captured by the NY Post, including Fauci trying to flip the script by accusing Paul of an “unhinged” obsession with him before taking the Fifth.
Fauci led the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases from 1984 to 2022. He became President Biden’s czar on the pandemic in 2021. In recent months, documents released by Paul including Fauci’s private diary notes showing contradictions in what he told the public and Congress (under oath) versus what he privately thought — and he thought quite highly of himself and his media appearances.
Paul’s trove of documents assembled in what he calls the “Reading Room,” points to Fauci’s agency paying for gain of function (GoF) experiments involving bats and SARS (leading to COVID-19) in Wuhan. That activity lends a lot to explaining the subsequent coordination with “Proximal Origins” authors to put down the lab leak theory even though newly released messages between those involved in that paper shows they actually felt the lab leak was the logical answer.
UNC’s Dr. Ralph Baric transcribed testimony is in the Reading Room as well, it appears he was in the thick of GoF for years earlier. Paul, who raised the question to Fauci of being involved with the CIA or other intelligence agencies, sent a letter to the DOJ’s inspector general asking them to investigate Peter Daszak and Baric as possible confidential informants to the FBI. Meanwhile, documents obtained by Judicial Watch show the Newark FBI office was investigating Fauci’s GoF grant to Wuhan.
The public needs to remember that Fauci was given a sprawling pardon by President Joe Biden on his way out of office. Wednesday’s hearing and the recent documents released by Paul have illustrated that Biden pardoned a man who was not only closely involved in the events that led to the pandemic, his later actions and advice were arguably the worst violation of civil liberties this country has ever seen. Beyond the U.S., what Fauci knew and did could be seen as crimes against humanity. And that is likely hy he took the Fifth.
After the hearing, Paul said they will be voting to hold Fauci in contempt. That seems like using a fly swatter to punish a Rhino. Florida’s attorney general agrees and announced he is bringing a new investigation into Fauci. I’ll say what most are probably thinking: No more investigations. Bring charges and a trial.
The Other Big Story - Biden tapes released
Last week, Old North State Update teed up that this was coming: The Oversight Project published former President Joe Biden’s interviews with his book’s ghostwriter, Mark Zwonitzer.
From the key takeaways, Biden divulged classified information in his interview with Zwonitzer, with the Oversight Projected noting “classified redactions cover significant portions of the audio files released.”
“The listener shouldn’t overlook the audio redactions because those redactions are intended to cover the disclosure of classified information, so the silence of the redactions loudly demonstrates that Biden knowingly and willfully disclosed classified information to his ghostwriter,” the Oversight Project said. “As confirmed by the redaction code in the transcripts, Biden disclosed classified CIA, DOD, and other serious national security information to his ghostwriter as part of the process of writing his book.”
Other takeaways center on Biden’s rapid mental and cognitive decline between the interview in 2016-17 and his exit from the presidential race in 2024, in particular the assertion the tapes prove Biden lied about sharing classified information with Zwonitzer.
The transcripts can be accessed here and the press release with full highlights can be viewed here.
Folks shouldn’t think of this news as just in the silo of classified documents. It has ramifications for the autopen — and pardons.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Very little activity this week beyond additional refinements to budget corrections and also revisions/additions to a bill making election law changes. The House has to concur with the changes before it can be sent to Gov. Stein.
No veto overrides were held on Senate Bill 50 (Freedom to Carry) and House Bill 437 (Drug-Free Zones/Unauthorized Public Camping).
The Senate finalized its proposed appointments list and adjournment resolution. The House’s resolution hasn’t been updated yet and is still in the House Rules Committee. These resolutions essentially lay out a calendar of when lawmakers will reconvene for a brief time each month for the rest of 2026.
With regard to adjournments, Sen. Leader Phil Berger told reporters after session on Wednesday that his chamber will return for brief sessions through the rest of the year but no votes were planned. The House Speaker’s office’s calendar has no upcoming votes posted right now either.
The legislature returns on Aug. 3.
CONGRESS
Toss-ups
Sabato’s Crystal Ball moved the races for NC-01 and NC-11 from “leans Republican” to “toss-up” on July 30.
The NC-01 race is between incumbent Democrat Don Davis and Republican challenger Laurie Buckhout. That district was redrawn in 2025, giving it a Republican lean. Buckhout lost to Davis in the last election cycle.
The NC-11 race is between incumbent Republican Chuck Edwards and Democrat challenger Jamie Ager, who won the Democratic primary after Mo Davis left the race in a very vocal manner.
Foxx Alarmed
In her weekly newsletter, Congresswoman Virginia Foxx is alarmed at the rise of Communism and Socialism within the ranks of the Democratic Party.
Speaking of Socialists…
This weekend is the NC Democratic Party’s (NCDP) annual Unity Dinner. Headlining this year’s event is Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
Anyone else find it odd that the NCDP’s graphics do not include Cooper with Warren?
In addition to repeatedly calling for ICE to be abolished and campaigning alongside DSA-backed candidates who want to defund the police, Warren has recently backed NYC’s Zohran Mamdani in his socialist government grocery store effort. She also thought Nazi tattoo wearing Graham Platner was her “kind of guy.” Maybe now it’s clear why none of the Unity Dinner graphics have Cooper’s image on them.
Related Warren Reading:
2026: Tarheel Democrats greet Warren, Democratic Socialists of America
WATCH: Ex-Warren campaign volunteer spotted praising murderous ex-Iranian leader
This isn’t hyperbole, Democrats have a real socialist problem.
U.S. SENATE
Quick hits
The NC AFL-CIO issued a lengthy blog post endorsing July 24 endorsing Roy Cooper.
Senate Leadership Fund announced $17M on a summer ad campaign hitting Cooper on his record along with a website called “40yearsIsEnough.“
In-kind Cooper contribution?
An N&O reporter failed to check with the source (for the second time this month), making an inaccurate post damaging to the Whatley campaign. She got called out on it. The reporter apparently issued a correction but those rarely get the same eyeballs as the original, which is still up.
Senate campaign access denials
Both Cooper and Whatley campaigns have denied certain media access to their events. Most recently, the Cooper campaign kicked out North State Journal’s photographer.
I spoke with Spectrum News’ Tim Boynum about uneven media access to Cooper and Whatley campaign events this past Tuesday. On the same topic, I also spoke with WBT’s Brett Jensen and Pete Kaliner, as well as an appearance on the Nick Craig Show.
Also - Cooper had an event in Wilson... Where was my invite?
Non-answers on COVID actions
POLLING
Fox News dropped a poll based on voter “enthusiasm” which puts Cooper back up over Whatley by nine points. Beyond the “feels” measured in this poll, the top item of concern is inflation, which is something I’ve been saying will determine midterm results since last fall. As with all polls, take it with a grain of salt when reading the crosstabs and toplines/methodology.
Real Clear Polling’s average has Cooper at +7.6 over Whatley, a +.2 bump over last week after including the Fox poll.
WHAT I AM READING
Congressional committee issues subpoenas to organizations tied to China-linked Dem megadonor
U.S. economy slowed to 1.5% growth rate in Q2; June core inflation at 3.3%
(Reminder: Inflation peaked near 6.5% year-over-year in early 2022 under Biden; Consumer Price Index actually peaked at 9.1% in June 2022, while core inflation was at 5.9%.)The Fauci Files
Related: Rand Paul released the transcript of the interview with UNC Researcher Ralph Baric