‘I Can Answer His Question!’ Fauci Comes Back To Give One Last Answer About House Republican Probes — Then Blows Off Fox’s Doocy

Retiring infectious disease honcho Dr. Anthony Fauci’s final act in the briefing room was to double back so he could answer a question about facing House GOP probes — and then blowing off a follow-up from Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy.

At Tuesday’s White House briefing, Dr. Fauci joined White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre for his final appearance as the government’s chief infectious disease expert, where he held court for about 30 minutes.

When Fauci began to exit the podium after Jean-Pierre thanked him, NBC News White House correspondent Mike Memoli managed to lure him back by asking about the prospect of facing a Republican majority that has promised to haul Fauci in to be grilled.

After giving a gleefully defiant response, Fauci again exited — as he and Jean-Pierre blew off Doocy’s repeated attempts to follow up:

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: All right. Thank you, Dr. Fauci. Thank you.

MR. MEMOLI: Dr. Fauci, related to that, how are you preparing for the likely aggressive oversight from House Republicans, the new majority, next year that they’ve been promising on some of these very questions?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, hold on one second. Dr. Jha is going to stay to take a couple more questions, but Dr. Fauci actually has to go.

So, thank you so much, Dr. Fauci.

DR. FAUCI: I can answer his question.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: You want to — you want to answer it?

DR. FAUCI: Yeah. Yeah.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Okay. He — he says he’ll answer it.

Okay, go ahead. Go ahead.

Q Dr. Fauci, can you also answer why there are millions more dollars going to the (inaudible)?

Q You got to answer the (inaudible).

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I’m just trying to keep him on time.

DR. FAUCI: All right. The answer is: If there are oversight hearings, I absolutely will cooperate fully and testify before the Congress, if asked.

You may not know, but I’ve testified before the Congress a few hundred times — (laughter) — okay? — over the last 40 years or so. So I have no trouble testifying. We can defend and explain and stand by everything that we’ve said. So I have nothing to hide.

MR. DOOCY: Just a quick follow-up on that, Dr. Fauci. How much do you think —

Q (Inaudible.)

MR. DOOCY: Dr. Fauci, how much — no, just a follow-up on the oversight, Dr. Fauci.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: All right. Thank you, Dr. Fauci.

Watch above via C-SPAN.