Rand Paul Questions Fauci’s Use of Fifth Amendment Post-Pardon

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., questioned Dr. Anthony Fauci’s right to use the Fifth Amendment 111 times during a congressional hearing. This occurred after Fauci received a presidential pardon. Paul addressed this on “The Will Cain Show,” expressing doubt over the legal standing of pleading the Fifth after being pardoned.

Paul stated, “The Fifth Amendment is for immunity from self-incrimination, but if immunity is granted, you can’t self-incriminate unless you lie.” He questioned how one could plead the Fifth in such a situation.

Paul, who chairs the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, plans to vote on holding Fauci in contempt of Congress. Fauci had refused to discuss his response to the COVID-19 pandemic or gain-of-function research.

FAUCI PLEADS FIFTH WITH ‘ZERO LEGAL JUSTIFICATION’ AS CRITICS ERUPT AND DEMAND CONTEMPT CHARGES

Dr. Fauci, former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, testified under subpoena regarding his role in the COVID-19 pandemic response at a Senate hearing. He received a pardon from former President Joe Biden in January 2025, aimed at protecting him from “politically motivated prosecutions.”

Paul’s comments followed his release of over 1,000 pages from Fauci’s diaries, covering 2019 to 2022. These entries detailed Fauci’s perception of his fame and his beliefs about COVID-19’s origins.

FAUCI’S NEWLY RELEASED COVID DIARIES REVEAL BIZARRE FIXATION ON FAME AS PANDEMIC DEATHS MOUNTED

The diaries highlighted discrepancies between Fauci’s private statements and public announcements. Paul noted Fauci’s private acknowledgment in January 2020 that the earliest COVID-19 cases were not linked to a wet market, despite public claims supporting a natural origin from the market.

At the hearing, Paul accused Fauci and the NIH of misleading Congress and destroying records, which he said damaged public trust.

Under legal advice, Fauci did not respond to questions to avoid self-incrimination. Paul is preparing a legal brief to challenge the use of the Fifth Amendment post-pardon.

“So, I think there are some really important legal questions here,” Paul told Fox News.

Paul expressed dissatisfaction with the hearing and hoped for an apology from Fauci. He criticized Democratic colleagues for not questioning the government’s handling of the pandemic more intensely.

Paul questioned, “Did your government fund something that led to a pandemic killing more than a million Americans?”

Nora Moriarty is a Writer at Fox News Digital.