Former White House chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci spent three hours before a Senate panel on Wednesday repeatedly invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, refusing to answer a single question as Republican lawmakers aired their long-simmering frustrations over the COVID-19 pandemic response.
The hearing, chaired by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), quickly devolved into a tense showdown. Paul had released over a thousand pages of Fauci's personal diary entries and work records in the days before the session, a move Fauci condemned as an attempt to embarrass and intimidate him. In his opening statement, Fauci said he welcomed congressional oversight but believed the hearing was conducted in bad faith, citing Paul's repeated calls for his prosecution.
GOP Lawmakers Vent Fury
Paul warned Fauci there would be repercussions for his silence. When Fauci's attorney, David Schertler, attempted to defend his client's decision, Paul ordered a Capitol Police officer to remove him from the chamber. Several Republican members used their time to mock Fauci, with Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) asking rhetorical questions about the day of the week and the color of Fauci's tie, each met with a Fifth Amendment invocation.
Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) had an aide hand Fauci a pocket copy of the U.S. Constitution. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) accused Fauci of causing millions of potential deaths in a future pandemic. Paul later called the hearing "the capstone to Anthony Fauci's 40 years of abuse of power at NIH."
Democrats Offer Tepid Defense
Ranking member Gary Peters (D-Mich.) used his opening remarks to criticize Paul, calling the hearing a culmination of a biased investigation aimed at legitimizing a predetermined conclusion. Democrats did not pose any questions to Fauci; instead, they spoke in his defense. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) read a statement from Schertler, who accused Paul of being "single-minded and fixated" on prosecuting Fauci for "imaginary crimes." Many Democratic senators did not attend the hearing, signaling their view that it was a partisan waste of time.
Despite Fauci's silence, the hearing underscored the deep partisan divide over pandemic policies. Some Republicans argued that Fauci had no Fifth Amendment rights because former President Biden had granted him a pardon, but House Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) warned Tuesday that Fauci could still face prosecution for his testimony.
The session also saw GOP members like Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Scott excoriate Fauci, with Scott claiming his actions endangered public trust. The hearing ended without any new revelations, but Paul signaled he would pursue a contempt vote against Fauci.
