WATCH: Dr. Fauci Pleads the Fifth Over a Dozen Times in the Face of Rand Paul’s Questions

Anthony Fauci refused to answer any of Sen. Rand Paul’s (R-KY) questions, invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination 16 times during a roughly 45-minute opening exchange between the pair on Capitol Hill.

Fauci has been the subject of intense scrutiny and debate among Republicans and media in the days leading up to the Wednesday morning hearing, which came after Fauci’s diaries during the Covid-19 pandemic became public.

Paul scorched Fauci as the Homeland Security Committee hearing began.

“You can’t have it both ways. Your conduct raises further questions. It is a crime to destroy federal records,” he said in a lengthy opening statement.

“Your assistant reported she deleted tons of e-mails. In 2024, you testified you did not delete federal records. Who is telling the truth, you or your assistant? … Your appearance had to be compelled by subpoena; you are here today under duress, because of court-ordering.”

Fauci, the former Chief Medical Advisor to the President of the United States, didn’t budge throughout Paul’s grilling.

“On the advice of counsel, I respectively decline to answer based upon my rights under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution,” Fauci repeatedly told Paul.

Paul earned a laugh when at one point, he asked Fauci if he had a red folder in front of him on the table — and Fauci again invoked the Fifth.

“Let the record record that the witness has refused to answer whether there’s a folder in front of him based on his Fifth Amendment right,” Paul quipped.

By the end of the exchange, Paul noted: “It’s against the law to obstruct an investigation of Congress,” adding, “there will be repercussions.”

Fauci opened his appearance by slamming Paul’s “unhinged obsession” with him, noting his long government career:

In fact, I testified before and-or briefed Senate and House committees well over 200 times over those 38 years. During and after the Covid pandemic, I have appeared multiple times for hearings in the Senate and the House, usually under oath, and sat for several days’ long transcribed sworn interviews answering questions about the very issues that are now the subject of this hearing.

However, given Senator Paul’s obvious obsession with calling for my prosecution, his repeated slanderous comments about me, and recently his publicly releasing my unredacted personal diary aimed at embarrassing and intimidating me, 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, quote, behind bars, unquote.

Any reasonable person who has followed his unhinged obsession with me would readily come to the same conclusion.

Therefore, 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. Thank you.

Watch above via Fox News.

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