Fauci invokes 5th in hearing, citing Rand Paul's "unhinged obsession"

Paul concluded the hearing by wondering aloud if Fauci's actions during the COVID-19 pandemic keep him up at night.

"Today will be the capstone to Anthony Fauci's 40 years of abusive power at NIH," Paul said. "In the end, we must imagine, Fauci believes he got away with it. But still, late at night, even the guilty must become anxious, re-running the scenarios through his mind, wondering, latching on to linger doubts and worrying — did his actions lead to the largest man-made plague in human history?"

Paul again criticized Fauci for declining to testify and citing the Fifth Amendment, after Fauci declined to answer questions about the presidential pardon.

"Given that you have a unlimited presidential pardon, what is your specific objection that you are making?" Paul asked. Fauci again invoked the Fifth Amendment.

"Because you refuse to answer, citing a privilege that is unsupported because of your pardon, and after being denied to do so, this committee has scheduled a vote next week on a resolution certifying your contempt," Paul said.

Lankford said there is a procedural question to answer here. Congress decided to hold former IRS official Lois Lerner in contempt of Congress after she delivered an opening statement and then declined to testify further.

"Lois Lerner came and testified, gave an opening statement, and then took the Fifth Amendment," Lankford said. "The committee then held her in contempt for that, saying you can't do both. … Are we dealing with the same issue here?"

Paul said the presidential pardon has given Fauci more immunity than most people get.

Fauci continued to invoke his Fifth Amendment rights to every question from senators. After all senators had a chance to address Fauci, Paul began a second round of questioning.

Republicans asked Fauci about gain-of-function research, COVID-19 vaccines and more. Democrats expressed their frustration about Paul's handling of the investigation and hearing. Fauci was also asked about the pardon issued to him by former President Joe Biden.

"I really did want to hear from Dr. Fauci," Paul said. "I wanted to hear perhaps an apology, perhaps some semblance of being sorry for what happened or that judgment errors were made. We didn't hear any of that."

Sen. James Lankford, a Republican from Oklahoma, acknowledged Fauci's constitutional right to invoke the Fifth, but brought up the concerns he had about the nation's handling of the pandemic and questions about the origins of the virus.

He noted concerns Fauci had raised in his diary about the inability of children to receive measles vaccinat