Fauci Refuses to Address Fifth Amendment Invocation, Pandemic Decisions in Post-Hearing Exchange

Dr. Anthony Fauci offered no response when pressed by Fox News Digital outside his residence Thursday regarding his invocation of the Fifth Amendment during a Senate committee hearing or his stewardship of the federal government’s coronavirus response. The former White House pandemic adviser walked away without answering when questioned directly about whether he regretted his actions during the contentious proceeding.

The exchange occurred a day after Fauci, on counsel from his legal team, refused to answer questions posed by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, chaired by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. In prepared remarks before the panel, Fauci stated that he would “invoke my right under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution to refrain from answering your questions” despite his stated respect for Congress and decades of legislative cooperation.

Paul has challenged Fauci’s constitutional position, arguing that a presidential pardon issued to the former director eliminates any legitimate self-incrimination concern. The Kentucky Republican contends that those already granted immunity cannot use the Fifth Amendment to avoid testimony unless they intend to commit perjury. Paul said the committee will vote next week on a contempt resolution against Fauci.

Senators have scrutinized Fauci’s handling of pandemic policies and his role in funding gain-of-function research in Wuhan, China. Paul released over 1,100 pages of Fauci’s diary entries before the hearing, contending they demonstrated contradictions between private writings and public statements about virus origins and school closures.