Fauci repeatedly pleads Fifth in fiery showdown with Rand Paul

Former NIAID director Anthony Fauci repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination when pressed by Sen. Rand Paul to speak on his diaries that exposed his true sentiments during COVID. Fauci said that because Paul has an 'obsession' with demanding his prosecution and allegedly 'slander[ed]' him, he felt he was going to be put in a trap to 'vindicate [Paul's] public pledges' that he 'end up behind bars.' When Paul began a series of in-depth questions, Fauci began repeatedly pleading his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Paul argued that Fauci did not have that ability during a congressional investigation conducted under a lawful subpoena, noting that it is a crime under 18 U.S.C. Section 1001 to knowingly make false statements to Congress. When Fauci finished, Paul reiterated that point before Fauci's lawyer began speaking out of turn and was eventually ejected by the chairman.