Dr. Anthony Fauci faced a challenging Capitol Hill hearing on Wednesday, where he declined to answer more than 111 questions related to COVID-19 by invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. The former Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and medical advisor to multiple presidents cited his constitutional rights numerous times, starting with his opening statements and continuing throughout the questioning.
Committee chairman Senator Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, stated his intention to hold a vote on holding Fauci in contempt of Congress. Paul argued that Fauci's immunity from criminal liability made his invocation of the Fifth Amendment questionable, suggesting it would be a legal matter to determine if the Fifth Amendment applies under such circumstances. He added that the decision on whether the Department of Justice would pursue the matter would follow the committee vote.
Fauci, in his opening statement, accused Senator Paul of having an "unhinged obsession" with him, citing Paul's calls for prosecution, "slanderous comments," and the public release of his unredacted personal diary, which Fauci described as an attempt to embarrass and intimidate him.
The hearing saw a notable incident when Fauci's lead attorney, David Schertler, was removed from the room by security. Chairman Paul instructed guards to eject Schertler after he attempted to speak on his client's behalf, stating that the attorney was not invited to testify. Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, later read a statement from Schertler accusing Paul of not conducting a serious information-seeking effort and of building a personal brand around his pursuit of Fauci. Paul countered that in American courtrooms, a witness cannot plead the Fifth and have their lawyer testify for them.
Ohio Republican Senator Bernie Moreno delivered sharp questioning, calling Fauci a "total disgrace." Moreno recounted being compelled to run for office after witnessing a mother's arrest for a minor gathering, which he linked to guidance based on Fauci's advice. He exclaimed, "Who the f**k do you think you were for doing that?" Moreno also asked audience members who felt negatively impacted by skepticism toward COVID-19 precautions to stand; a significant portion of the attendees rose in support.
During the hearing, Senator Rand Paul also revealed that businessman and philanthropist Bill Gates held a top-level Q security clearance from 2014 to 2021. This clearance, functionally equivalent to a Department of Defense Top Secret clearance, was granted due to Gates's involvement with TerraPower, a company focused on nuclear innovation. Earlier, Republican Senator Rick Scott had questioned Fauci about potential partnerships with Bill Gates on global health initiatives or vaccines, or any knowledge of Gates partnering with China on sensitive research. Fauci declined to answer these questions, as well as further inquiries from Scott about classified government programs, the use of research like gain of function, and Fauci's own national security clearance status.
Fox News host Laura Ingraham was present at the hearing, with images capturing her reactions, including rolling her eyes and shaking her head during Fauci's testimony. She was also among the attendees who stood when Senator Moreno asked those negatively impacted by skepticism of COVID-19 precautions to do so.