Dr. Anthony Fauci declined to answer questions from Fox News Digital on Thursday regarding his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and his recent invocation of the Fifth Amendment. When pressed outside his home, Fauci walked away.
Fauci's silence followed his decision on Wednesday to refuse answering questions before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, chaired by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. During the hearing, Fauci stated, "Although it pains me to do so because of the respect I have for the legislative branch of government, and my decades-long record of cooperating with Congress under the advice of my attorneys, I will invoke my right under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution to refrain from answering your questions."
Senate Hearing and Fifth Amendment
The committee questioned Fauci about his pandemic response and policy decisions, including accusations of funding gain-of-function research in Wuhan, China. Senator Paul argued that Fauci's use of the Fifth Amendment was unwarranted, particularly after receiving a pardon from President Biden. Paul stated on "The Will Cain Show" that the Fifth Amendment protects against self-incrimination, and one cannot claim this protection if they have already been granted immunity, unless they lie.
Paul had previously released over 1,100 pages of Fauci's pandemic-era diary entries, asserting they showed inconsistencies between his private notes and public statements. One entry reportedly documented early discussions among scientists about the potential for the virus's features to have been deliberately inserted, contrasting with Fauci's public stance favoring a natural origin.
Fauci also faced scrutiny over statements about school shutdowns. While he publicly stated he was not responsible for rallying schools to close, his diary reportedly indicated he influenced New York and California government officials to implement school lockdowns.
Senator Paul, with the support of other Republican senators, has announced plans to pursue contempt charges against Fauci due to his refusal to answer questions during the hearing.