5 highlights from Anthony Fauci’s tense Senate grilling: ‘Total and complete disgrace’

WASHINGTON — Former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Director Dr. Anthony Fauci appeared under subpoena before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Wednesday amid accusations that he mishandled public records and lied about the origins of COVID-19 and gain-of-function research.

After delivering an opening statement accusing Chairman Rand Paul, R-Ky., of exhibiting an “obvious obsession” with jailing him, trying to embarrass him by releasing his private diary and plotting to elicit statements that could incriminate him, Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment 111 times as multiple Republican members laid out their charges against him for nearly three hours.

“On the advice of counsel, I respectfully decline to answer based upon my rights under the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution,” Fauci repeatedly said in response to even basic questions he was asked.

Fauci largely stared ahead blankly as the hearing at times grew tense, with Paul ejecting Fauci’s attorney from the chamber at the beginning of the proceedings. Various Republican senators accused Fauci of using the pandemic to enrich himself and stroke his own ego, and one used profanity to rebuke Fauci’s role in what he described as the government’s tyrannical pandemic-era behavior.

Here are five highlights from the hearing.