Watch Live: Dr. Anthony Fauci invokes Fifth Amendment, declines to testify at senate hearing on COVID-19

Dr. Anthony Fauci, on Wednesday invoked the Fifth Amendment and declined to answer questions from the Senate’s Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs subcommittee hearing about his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fauci, the former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases' director, became the face of the U.S. medical community’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Fauci was set to answer lawmakers’ questions after being subpoenaed by Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, who has long had a fraught relationship with the now-retired infectious-disease expert and led the charge seeking that he testify, again, under oath about his role in containing the pandemic.

Fauci’s decision to invoke the Fifth, at least for now, sidesteps calls for his prosecution if he is caught lying at Wednesday’s hearing, part of a years long campaign for his arrest spearheaded by some Republicans in Congress. But it may also further inflame partisan divides that have festered for years about the origins and handling of the pandemic, which was declared by the World Health Organization in March 2020.

What they're saying:

In his opening statement, Fauci said Paul has an "obvious obsession with calling for my prosecution."

"The only conclusion I can reach is that the sole reason he is calling me before this Committee is to prompt me to say something, anything, that could vindicate his repeated public pledges that I end up, in his words, ‘behind bars,’" Fauci said, adding that while it pains him to do so, he is following his attorney’s advice by taking the Fifth.

Fauci attorney David Schertler removed hearing

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., ordered one of Dr. Anthony Fauci's attorneys to be removed from the Senate hearing room after repeatedly interrupting proceedings on Wednesday.

Paul gave the attorney, David Schertler, repeated warnings both before an during the hearing.

A lengthy exchange showed Schertler attempting to speak after Paul concluded his questions, to which Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment.

"You are not recognized, sir," Paul said repeatedly as the attorney attempted to speak.

Paul emphasized that the hearing was about Fauci's testimony and not the "game" of his lawyers.

The back-and-forth lasted for over a minute before Paul ordered Schertler removed, prompting applause in the room.

"You are not recognized, sir," Paul says as the attorney continued speaking.

"Security, please remove him from the room," Paul says.

Big picture view:

Fauci, whose nearly 40 years as the head of NIAID stretch back to the early years of the AIDS epidemic, was subpoenaed to testify before the committee. Sen. Rand Paul explained when announcing the subpoena that it had been issued after Fauci backed out of an agreement to appear voluntarily.

The backstory:

As the day of the testimony drew near, Paul released hundreds of pages from Fauci’s personal diary that the doctor’s critics allege show his personal infatuation with his newfound celebrity and repeated instances where they say his views expressed in the diary clashed with his contemporaneous public statements, including on the origins of the virus and the effectiveness of recommended precautions.

What they're saying:

Even before Fauci’s appearance, Paul and another Kentucky Republican, Rep. James Comer, have threatened him with criminal action if he were to lie during Wednesday’s appearance before the committee. They specifically cited a preemptive pardon given to Fauci by former President Joe Biden in the waning days of his administration and argued it would not be applicable.

"Americans are still reaping the consequences of Dr. Fauci's actions," Comer told Fox News Digital. "Biden's pardon doesn't cover Dr. Fauci's testimony this week and if he continues to lie, he must be held accountable."