Dr. Anthony Fauci refused to answer questions regarding COVID-19 origins during a Capitol Hill hearing Wednesday, invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination on the advice of counsel. He also accused Senator Rand Paul of harboring an "unhinged obsession" with him.
"On the advice of counsel, I respectfully decline to answer based upon my rights under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution," Fauci stated repeatedly in response to Paul's inquiries. He characterized Paul's actions, including the recent public release of his personal diaries, as attempts to "embarrass and intimidate" him and to generate something that could justify Paul's stated desire to see him "behind bars."
Fauci's diaries, published by Paul, reportedly detail his experiences during the pandemic, including interactions with celebrities. One entry cited by Paul describes Fauci discussing mRNA vaccines with Barbra Streisand and subsequently "butt calling" her. The diaries also touch on Streisand's queries about the differences between Moderna and Pfizer vaccines.
Paul, a longtime critic of Fauci's handling of the pandemic, has accused the former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director of relishing the fame that emerged during the COVID-19 crisis. The hearing marked a continuation of the public and often contentious exchanges between the two figures.