HAWLEY: "What day of the week is it today?"
FAUCI: "I respectfully decline to answer...."
HAWLEY: "What color tie are you wearing?"
FAUCI: "I respectfully decline to answer..."
HAWLEY: "What color is the carpet in front of you?"
FAUCI: "I respectfully decline to answer..."
HAWLEY: "Let's just get ONE THING STRAIGHT. You DON'T HAVE any rights under the Fifth Amendment because you've been pardoned... You know that. Your lawyers... shifting nervously in their chairs, they know it."
"This isn't about the Constitution... This is about contempt. Contempt for this body and contempt for the American people."
BREAKING: Dr. Anthony Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment 111 times and refused to answer lawmakers' questions during Wednesday's Senate hearing.
Senator Rand Paul, who has repeatedly accused Fauci of misleading the public about COVID-19's origins and the government's pandemic response, pointed to Fauci's newly released COVID-era diaries, arguing they conflict with his public statements during the pandemic.
Republicans have also argued former President Joe Biden's blanket pardon would not protect Fauci if he lied to Congress.
After hours of stonewalling, Paul announced the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will vote next week on a resolution to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress, arguing the pardon means he cannot invoke the Fifth Amendment for matters covered by it.