Dr Fauci, the retired National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director, repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right during a high‑profile Senate committee hearing, saying under advice of counsel he would refrain from answering questions.
Fauci spoke a single opening sentence before declining to answer, stating, "Under the advice of my attorneys, I will invoke my right under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution to refrain from answering your questions," and then invoked that right more than 100 times, according to the hearing record.
The session, led by Sen. Rand Paul, proceeded despite the refusals. Paul said he would move next week for a committee vote to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress, a step that could prompt the Justice Department to consider criminal charges.
Republican senators used the hearing to press long‑running allegations that Fauci had a role in obscuring the origins of the Covid‑19 pandemic and in funding controversial research, assertions Fauci has repeatedly denied. Federal reviews remain inconclusive about the virus origin and show no evidence it was engineered, according to the committee record.
Democrats defended Fauci and criticized the effort as a partisan campaign, with Sen. Richard Blumenthal saying the hearing capped a "years‑long crusade" that began when Fauci contradicted a former president. Sen. Maggie Hassan described the proceeding as designed to entrap him.
The hearing included acrimony and spectacle. Republicans pressed on with procedural questions, an attorney for Fauci was escorted from the room after attempting to interject, and a small group of attendees, including a Fox News anchor, stood when asked to identify those harmed by Covid policies. Records cited in the hearing show Republican aides published entries from Fauci's diaries, which critics said were sought to produce new evidence.
Pressure from Sen. Paul and others prompted President Joe Biden to issue a preemptive pardon for Fauci during his last days in office, according to the committee reporting. Fauci, 85, has appeared before Congress more than 250 times but had never invoked the Fifth Amendment until this hearing.
Markey Endorsement Shapes Michigan Democratic Primary Contest
In a separate development, Sen. Ed Markey endorsed Abdul El‑Sayed in Michigan's competitive Democratic Senate primary, urging voters to back a candidate who refuses corporate PAC donations.
Markey said in a statement shared with NBC News that "Abdul El‑Sayed is the bold progressive leader Michiganders need fighting for them in the Senate," and highlighted El‑Sayed's background as a Detroit public health official.
El‑Sayed has also attracted endorsements from the United Auto Workers, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Tina Smith, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez and Sen. Elizabeth Warren. He is locked in a tense race with Rep. Haley Stevens for the nomination to succeed Sen. Gary Peters, who is not seeking re‑election.
Stevens has the backing of Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Peters, former Sen. Debbie Stabenow and Sen. Ruben Gallego. The Democratic primary winner will face former Rep. Mike Rogers, who is unopposed in the Republican primary.
Markey faces his own primary challenge from Rep. Seth Moulton in Massachusetts, underscoring ongoing intra‑party contests in both states.
