“Let the record reflect that the witness has refused to answer whether there’s a folder in front of him based on his Fifth Amendment right,” Paul said.
Former Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right in dramatic fashion, refusing to answer questions before a Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing led by Chairman Rand Paul on the origins of Covid-19 on Wednesday morning. In total, Fauci pleaded the Fifth 111 times during the hearing.
The hearing was prompted by a series of developments, including the weekend release of Fauci's 1,000-page personal diary, which fueled suspicions among critics that he misled the public about the origins of the deadly virus.
Fauci, who was pardoned by former President Joe Biden, set the tone early in the hearing during his opening statement, declaring that he would not answer Republicans' questions and would instead invoke the Fifth Amendment.
"Although it pains me to do so, because of the respect I have for the legislative branch of government and my decades-long record of cooperating with Congress, under the advice of my attorneys, I will invoke my right under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution to refrain from answering your questions," Fauci told the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
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One notable exchange came when Paul asked Fauci whether he had a red folder sitting on the table in front of him. Rather than respond, Fauci again invoked his Fifth Amendment rights.
"The red folder on your table is a copy of Section 192 of Title 2 of the U.S. Code," Paul said. "Your counsel has been provided a copy as well. That section makes it a crime for a witness appearing under subpoena to refuse to answer any questions pertinent to the matter under inquiry. Do you have that in front of you?"
"On the advice of counsel, I respectfully decline to answer based upon my rights under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution," Fauci responded.
"Let the record reflect that the witness has refused to answer whether there's a folder in front of him based on his Fifth Amendment right," Paul replied to scattered chuckles in the hearing room.
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Paul also ordered one of Fauci's attorneys removed from the Senate hearing Wednesday after the lawyer repeatedly interrupted and refused to stop speaking without being recognized.
Paul warned the attorney several times to stop. "Would you behave this way in a courtroom? No, because the judge would put you in jail. I can't do that today. But I can have you escorted from the premises," Paul said.
Capitol Police then removed the attorney as the gallery broke into applause. Paul noted for the record that Fauci still had roughly half a dozen other attorneys present to advise him.
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