{"id":18880,"date":"2026-07-29T18:15:39","date_gmt":"2026-07-29T18:15:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?p=18880"},"modified":"2026-07-29T18:15:39","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T18:15:39","slug":"former-top-us-covid-expert-fauci-declines-to-answer-hostile-senate-questioning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?p=18880","title":{"rendered":"Former top US Covid expert Fauci declines to answer hostile Senate questioning"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <div style=\"display: grid; grid-template-columns: 300px 160px; gap: 2px; width: 460px; background: #eee; padding: 2px;\">\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u6574\u884c\u5bbd\u5e7f\u544a -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column: 1\/-1; width: 460px; height: 250px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876674\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column: 1\/-1; width: 460px; height: 90px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876676\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u5de6\u4fa7\u7ad6\u6392 -->\r\n  <div style=\"height: 250px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876672\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  <div style=\"height: 500px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876680\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u53f3\u4fa7\u6469\u5929\u697c\uff08\u548c\u5de6\u4fa7\u5b8c\u5168\u5bf9\u9f50\uff09 -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-row: 3\/5; height: 750px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876678\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  \r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e6\" data-zoneid=\"5876682\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n<\/div><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">\n<p>The former top US infectious disease official on Wednesday faced adversarial questioning from Republican senators about the origins of Covid-19, and on the advice of lawyers invoked his constitutional right not to answer, casting the hearing as a character assassination.<\/p>\n<p>It was the latest twist in the long-running feud between Anthony Fauci, who spent decades as the nation\u2019s top expert in infectious disease, and Republican Senator Rand Paul, who insists on unsubstantiated claims that the origins of the pandemic began in a lab and was covered up.<\/p>\n<p>Paul, who chairs the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, had subpoenaed the now-retired Fauci to testify, and prior to the hearing released thousands of pages of the immunologist\u2019s unredacted personal diary.<\/p>\n<p>Citing Paul\u2019s \u201cobsession\u201d with him, Fauci said he would invoke the Fifth Amendment, refraining from answering questions to avoid self-incrimination, adding that it \u201cpains me to do so.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Fauci indicated his legal team believed Paul intended to entrap him in a slip-up that could result in perjury charges.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe only conclusion I can reach is that the sole reason he is calling me before this committee is to get me to say something, anything, that could vindicate his repeated public pledges that I end up, in his words, quote \u2018behind bars,\u2019\u201d Fauci said.<\/p>\n<p>Fauci, 85, noted in his opening statement that he had testified before Congress more than 200 times over nearly four decades, saying \u201cI proved that I believe in and respect the value of legitimate congressional oversight.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 \u2018Vendetta\u2019 \u2013<\/p>\n<p>Paul began the hearing with a tirade against Fauci, repeating his accusations that the doctor directed the funding of research in China that triggered the spread of Covid-19 while the official was running the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.<\/p>\n<p>The senator has said Fauci lied about that to Congress, a claim without evidence that the public health expert has repeatedly denied.<\/p>\n<p>Former president Joe Biden had given Fauci a preemptive pardon on January 19, 2025, but that applies only to actions taken prior to that date.<\/p>\n<p>US President Donald Trump weighed in on Truth Social, saying Fauci\u2019s \u201cideas were CRAZY!\u201d in the pandemic\u2019s early days.<\/p>\n<p>Some lawmakers on the panel stated their disapproval with the proceedings, including Democratic Senator Gary Peters, who accused Paul of relitigation to \u201clegitimize a predetermined conclusion that was reached years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Senator Maggie Hassan, also a Democrat, said the hearing was designed to \u201centrap\u201d Fauci.<\/p>\n<p>Paul told Fauci that \u201cthere will be repercussions\u201d for his use of the Fifth Amendment. When Fauci\u2019s lawyer, David Schertler, attempted to speak on his client\u2019s behalf, Paul ordered him removed from the room.<\/p>\n<p>Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal called the proceedings the result of a \u201cvendetta\u201d and a \u201cshow trial.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He also emphasized that invoking the Fifth Amendment was a protected right that must be \u201crespected.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- \u603b\u5bb9\u5668\uff1a\u6700\u5927\u5bbd908px Grid\u7d27\u51d1\u5e03\u5c40 -->\r\n<div style=\"display: grid; grid-template-columns: 728px 160px; gap:2px; width:908px; background:#eee; padding:2px;\">\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u901a\u680f\u9876\u90e8\uff1a\u6700\u5927\u6a2a\u5e45 908x258 \u8de8\u6574\u884c -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column:1\/-1; height:258px; background:#ff6b6b; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n    <!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114307\" data-width=\"908\" data-height=\"258\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114307});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u7b2c\u4e8c\u901a\u680f\uff1a728\u00d790 \u901a\u680f -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column:1\/-1; 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display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n\t<!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114302\" data-width=\"133\" data-height=\"139\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114302});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n    <div style=\"height:125px; background:#91e7ac; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n\t\r\n<!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114303\" data-width=\"125\" data-height=\"125\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114303});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u53f3\u4fa7\u7ad6\u680f\uff1a160\u00d7600 \u6574\u5217\u9ad8\u5e7f\u544a -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-row:3\/8; height:600px;  display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n    <!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114301\" data-width=\"160\" data-height=\"600\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114301});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n<\/div><br \/>\n<br \/> Former top US Covid expert Fauci declines to answer hostile Senate questioning<br \/>\n<br \/>#top #Covid #expert #Fauci #declines #answer #hostile #Senate #questioning<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The former top US infectious disease official on Wednesday faced adversarial questioning from Republican senators&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18881,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[1959,9219,14809,176,14808,14810,5441,2163,89],"class_list":["post-18880","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","tag-answer","tag-covid","tag-declines","tag-expert","tag-fauci","tag-hostile","tag-questioning","tag-senate","tag-top"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/f29a67e94233b83da6967af509b074b177eb6f73.jpg",768,512,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/f29a67e94233b83da6967af509b074b177eb6f73-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/f29a67e94233b83da6967af509b074b177eb6f73-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/f29a67e94233b83da6967af509b074b177eb6f73.jpg",640,427,false],"large":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/f29a67e94233b83da6967af509b074b177eb6f73.jpg",640,427,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/f29a67e94233b83da6967af509b074b177eb6f73.jpg",768,512,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/f29a67e94233b83da6967af509b074b177eb6f73.jpg",768,512,false],"covernews-slider-full":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/f29a67e94233b83da6967af509b074b177eb6f73.jpg",768,512,false],"covernews-slider-center":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/f29a67e94233b83da6967af509b074b177eb6f73-768x500.jpg",768,500,true],"covernews-featured":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/f29a67e94233b83da6967af509b074b177eb6f73.jpg",768,512,false],"covernews-medium":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/f29a67e94233b83da6967af509b074b177eb6f73-540x340.jpg",540,340,true],"covernews-medium-square":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/f29a67e94233b83da6967af509b074b177eb6f73-400x250.jpg",400,250,true]},"author_info":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?author=1"},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?cat=7\" rel=\"category\">Stories<\/a>","tag_info":"Stories","comment_count":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18880","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18880"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18880\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/18881"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18880"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=18880"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=18880"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}