Anthony Fauci pleads the Fifth during Senate hearing about Covid origins
Former US health official Anthony Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment rights during a Senate hearing regarding the origins of Covid-19. Fauci stated he took this action on legal advice to avoid potential self-incrimination following the release of his private diary entries by Senator Rand Paul.
Why it matters
This event highlights ongoing political tensions and legal scrutiny surrounding the origins of the pandemic and the accountability of public health officials.
Image source, Getty Images Published 9 minutes ago Former top US health official Anthony Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment during a hearing before a Republican-led Senate committee about the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The amendment to the US Constitution states that no individual can be "compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself".
Fauci's refusal to answer questions came at the beginning of the hearing on Wednesday, days after Republican Senator Rand Paul released Fauci writings in which he mused about his fame and the origins of Covid.
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