Dr. Anthony Fauci refused to answer questions Wednesday at a Senate hearing on Covid origins and the pandemic response, invoking the Fifth Amendment, saying he feared Republicans would use his testimony to prosecute him for perjury.
In his opening statement, Fauci accused Senator Rand Paul of an “obvious obsession” with putting him “behind bars,” citing the senator’s calls for prosecution, “slanderous comments,” and release of Fauci’s personal journal. Under advice of counsel, Fauci said he would not answer questions despite decades of cooperating with Congress.
After pleading the fifth, Sen. Paul stated:
“The chairman has denied your assertion of privilege, and directed you to answer them. But you nonetheless refuse and stand on privilege, despite the existence of the pardon. The committee will have to consider after this hearing what appropriate action should be taken against you for the failure to testify after being directed to do so. It’s against the law to obstruct an investigation of congress. There will be repercussions to your refusal to testify today.”
Ahead of the hearing, Paul had warned of possible perjury charges if Fauci lied. Asked Tuesday about trapping him into perjury, Paul replied: “There’s no risk to perjury if you tell the truth. … The only thing he can’t do is lie again.”
After the hearing concluded, Chairman Paul said the committee has scheduled a vote next week on a resolution to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress for failing to testify after being directed to do so.
Watch Badlands Special Coverage of the Senate Hearing
