Republican Senator Josh Hawley clashed with former US health official Dr Anthony Fauci during a Senate hearing, accusing him of showing "contempt" for Congress by repeatedly invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, even in response to trivial questions. Hawley argued that Fauci, who received a pre-emptive pardon from President Biden, no longer has valid grounds to plead the Fifth, since a pardon should remove the risk of prosecution that the amendment is designed to protect against. The exchange forms part of a broader Senate inquiry into Fauci's conduct during the Covid-19 pandemic, with several Republican senators pressing him on vaccine policy, lockdown measures and alleged self-dealing.

According to the article, the 85-year-old former NIAID director invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times during his testimony, reportedly refusing to confirm even the day of the week or the colour of his tie. Other senators, including Rand Paul, have separately called for contempt of Congress charges over his refusal to answer questions, while Fauci's own attorney was ejected from one hearing after a heated exchange. Democratic senators, such as Gary Peters, have pushed back, characterising the proceedings as biased against Fauci and defending his record on public health.