Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) ordered security to remove one of Dr. Anthony Fauci’s attorneys from a Senate hearing Wednesday after the former White House medical adviser repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination during questioning about the COVID-19 pandemic.
The tense exchange unfolded before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which Paul chairs, after Fauci declined to answer questions and instead accused the Kentucky Republican of being determined to pursue criminal charges against him.
As the hearing got underway, Fauci delivered a statement criticizing Paul’s repeated calls for his prosecution, arguing that the chairman’s intentions were clear.
“The only conclusion I can reach is that the sole reason he is calling me before this committee is to get me to say something, anything that could vindicate his repeated public pledges that I end up in his words ‘behind bars,’” Fauci said before invoking his constitutional right to remain silent.
Once questioning began, Paul repeatedly asked Fauci questions related to the origins of COVID-19 and the federal government’s response to the pandemic. Fauci declined to answer each inquiry, invoking the Fifth Amendment every time. He gave the same response during questioning from Sens. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and James Lankford (R-Okla.), also citing his constitutional protections rather than responding directly.
The hearing took another dramatic turn when one of Fauci’s attorneys, David Schertler, attempted several times to address the committee. Paul refused to recognize Schertler, preventing him from speaking during the proceedings.
Ranking member Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) later attempted to use his allotted time to allow Schertler to speak. Paul rejected that effort as well and did not permit the attorney to address the committee.
After the interruptions continued, Paul ordered security to remove Schertler from the hearing room.
“Let the record state that Dr. Fauci will still have the advice of the other half a dozen attorneys that he brought along today,” Paul said after directing Schertler’s removal.
Schertler has represented Fauci during previous appearances before Congress, with his law firm having served as counsel for the longtime infectious disease expert in earlier hearings.
Fauci appeared before the committee after being subpoenaed by Paul, who has sought testimony concerning both the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic and the federal government’s response during the public health crisis.
The hearing also came just days after Paul publicly released more than 1,000 pages from Fauci’s personal diary. According to Paul, the documents include Fauci’s early thoughts on the emerging virus, reflections on the widespread media attention he received, interactions with celebrities, and what the senator described as Fauci’s candid opinions about President Trump.
The release of those diary entries set the stage for Wednesday’s closely watched hearing, which ultimately featured little substantive testimony from Fauci after he invoked the Fifth Amendment throughout questioning while his attorney was removed from the committee room.
[READ MORE: Brian Kilmeade Calls Fauci a ‘Maniac’ After Newly Released COVID-19 Journal Entries]
