Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, sharply confronted Dr. Anthony Fauci during a heated Senate hearing Wednesday, accusing the former White House chief medical adviser of harming the country during the COVID-19 pandemic as Fauci repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.
The exchange took place before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, where Fauci declined to answer questions from Republican senators about the origins of COVID-19 and the federal government’s response to the pandemic.
Moreno told Fauci that his decision to run for public office stemmed from an incident he learned about in 2020 involving a woman who was reportedly arrested at an Ohio middle school football game after refusing to wear a mask, which was against the school’s policy at the time.
Recalling that event, Moreno directed an emotional question toward Fauci.
“Here I am sitting in front of you six years later, saying, who the f— do you think you were for doing that?” Moreno asked, appearing to reference Fauci’s views on mask requirements during the pandemic.
The Ohio senator continued his criticism, accusing Fauci of failing the American public.
“It is a total disgrace what you did to this country, and if my Democrat colleagues are standing there defending you, I hope the voters, the United States of America, watch the clips of every one of you doting on a guy who is more interested in being a celebrity than saving American people,” Moreno said.
As Fauci continued refusing to answer questions, Moreno took another step by having one of his aides present the former health official with a pocket-sized copy of the U.S. Constitution.
Moreno then asked Fauci whether he knew what the Fifth Amendment says.
After quietly conferring with one of his attorneys, Fauci again declined to answer, invoking his Fifth Amendment rights.
One of Fauci’s attorneys accepted the copy of the Constitution from Moreno’s aide on Fauci’s behalf.
Moreno also referenced a 2023 article published by the conservative Washington Free Beacon concerning attorney David Schertler, one of Fauci’s lawyers.
“Do you feel like you’re in deep s—?” Moreno asked, referring to the article, which described Schertler as an attorney clients call when they are “in deep s—.”
Earlier in the hearing, Schertler had been ordered removed from the hearing room by committee chairman Sen. Rand Paul after repeatedly attempting to defend Fauci’s invocation of the Fifth Amendment. Paul declined to recognize Schertler when the attorney attempted to speak during the proceedings.
Later in his questioning, Moreno asked Fauci to turn around and face members of the audience who had criticized the government’s handling of the pandemic under Fauci’s leadership.
Among those in attendance was Fox News host Laura Ingraham.
Rather than turning toward the audience, Fauci turned in his chair to face his attorneys.
“Dr. Fauci, can you just turn around and look at the people behind you? You’re not willing to do that? It’s not a question. … It’s a request,” Moreno said.
“All you have to do is look up from your lawyers and look at the people who were absolutely shamed for saying what we know now to be the truth. You can’t even look at them?”
Fauci did not respond to Moreno’s requests, maintaining the same legal strategy he used throughout the hearing by repeatedly invoking his Fifth Amendment right instead of answering questions posed by Republican lawmakers.
