Dr. Anthony Fauci, a former top United States public health official, declined to answer questions at a Republican-led Senate committee hearing into the origins of COVID-19 and the handling of the pandemic on Wednesday.

The former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. His lawyers advised him not to testify, arguing that anything he said under oath could expose him to new legal risks.

The hearing was led by Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, who accuses Fauci of misleading Congress and questions whether US-funded research in China played a role in the pandemic, allegations Fauci denies.

Although former President Joe Biden granted Fauci a preemptive pardon in 2025, Republicans claim it does not protect him from any alleged crimes committed after it was issued, such as perjuring himself at a Senate hearing.

Fauci, 85, is a physician and immunologist who led the US NIAID for 38 years, advising seven presidents. He became the public face of the US response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

The tense hearing lasted about three hours. After a brief opening statement, Fauci declined to answer more than 100 questions. He accused committee chairman Paul of having an “obsession” with prosecuting him.

Paul said the Senate committee will vote next week on whether to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress. If approved, it could lead to further legal action, including possible criminal prosecution.

Source: www.aljazeera.com