Fauci Invokes Fifth Amendment in Congressional Hearing

Why it matters locally: As a national news story unfolding within the nation's capital, this hearing directly involves a prominent former federal official and the operations of the U.S. Congress, both central to the District of Columbia's identity and economy.

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WASHINGTON – Dr. Anthony Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right during a congressional hearing on the origins of COVID-19. Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky subpoenaed Fauci to appear before the committee. Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, retired from his government post in December 2022. Senator Paul has publicly questioned Fauci's role in the pandemic response and the origins of the virus. The Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states that no person "shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself." Witnesses appearing before congressional committees can invoke this right.