Zipped Lips

Dr. Fauci declined to answer questions during his 200-and-somethingth congressional hearing Wednesday.

The former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases followed his attorney’s advice and pleaded the Fifth more than 100 times as senators questioned him over the origins of COVID-19 and his pandemic-era diary entries.

In 2025, Fauci received a pre-emptive pardon from former President Biden, immunizing him from being prosecuted for offenses between 2014-2025 but leaving him vulnerable to charges after that. The retired scientist said he feared Homeland Security Committee chair Sen. Paul (R-KY), who has accused Fauci of deceiving the public about COVID-19, would try to catch him in a perjury trap.

Paul questioned whether Fauci’s pardon nullified his ability to legally invoke the Fifth and vowed to hold a contempt of Congress vote next week.

Wondering what it means to plead the Fifth and who’s allowed to do it? Join us for TPO Explains tomorrow, where our writer KA and our Managing Editor Kathleen get into it! And catch up on past explainers, like this one on Presidential Pardons, here.

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ABOVE ALL, LOVE
When challenged by the legal authorities of His day, Jesus kept His focus on His Father, instructing us to do the same. Whether modern politicians are truthful or dishonest in hearings, our mission is to love God and love others.

“Then an expert in the law stood up to test him, saying, ‘Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ ‘What is written in the law?’ he asked him. ‘How do you read it?’ He answered, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ‘You’ve answered correctly,’ he told him. ‘Do this and you will live.’”
Luke 10:25–28 (CSB) (read full passage)