Rand Paul
U.S. Senator from Kentucky
Randal Howard Paul was born in January 1963 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He attended Baylor University and is a graduate of the Duke University School of Medicine. After completing his residency in ophthalmology, he moved to Bowling Green, Kentucky, where he worked at a vision center, and later a private medical group. He is a board-certified ophthalmologist.
Paul began his political career working with his father, Ron Paul, also a physician, in a presidential campaign. He was elected to the United States Senate, assuming office in January 2011.
Paul is married to Kelley Ashby and they have three sons. He is a Presbyterian.
In the News…
Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, chair of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, has changed his mind about the broad liability protections Congress has thus far allowed internet companies and platforms under Section 230. The senator’s stance was impacted by a video that accused him of receiving money from Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro which YouTube and Google refused to remove that resulted in death threats against him.
Senator Paul wrote an op-ed titled “I’ve changed my mind — Google and YouTube can’t be trusted to do the right thing and must be reined in.” He stated, “The arrogance of Google to continue hosting this defamatory video and the resultant threats on my life have caused me to rethink Congress’ blind allegiance to liability shields.”
Senator Paul said, “Liability protection now encourages bad actors, many of whom are actually paid for their bad actions.”
He explained that he had previously defended liability protections for internet sites as as freedom of speech under the First Amendment. The senator stated he had not considered the possibility of providers hosting content accusing people of crimes.
Referring to videos taken down throughout the pandemic that YouTube considered to be untrue, Senator Paul continued, “Google does not have a blanket policy of refraining to evaluate truth. Google chooses to evaluate what it believes to be true when it is convenient and consistent with its own particular biases.”
Contact this Leader…
Did you pray for Senator Paul today? You can let him know at:
The Honorable Rand Paul
Senator from Kentucky
295 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
