We Have Receipts: Four Years Ago, Fauci Said 'Nothing to Hide,' 'Very Happy to Testify' Before Congress
If you’re a fan of ordinal numbers, the number five specifically, and constitutional rights being asserted, Wednesday was your day.
For everyone else looking for answers as to why we were locked down thanks to The Experts™ and The Science™ back during the COVID scare, Dr. Anthony Fauci’s testimony before the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee was wholly unsatisfying.
Over 100 times, CNN reported, the former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases asserted his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Which is kind of funny when you consider that he was given a pardon for anything he did or may have done while head of NIAID and leading the U.S. response to COVID.
“Under the advice of my attorneys, I will invoke my right under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution to refrain from answering your questions,” Fauci said over the course of two hours.
Which is funny, considering that back when he was retiring from running the country’s COVID response, he said he had “nothing to hide” and would be “very happy to testify” before Congress.
This definitely wasn’t what we saw on Wednesday. In case you missed how absurd it was, this about sums it up:
🚨 JUST NOW: Sen. Paul informs Anthony Fauci that he’s BREAKING THE LAW for by REFUSING to answer questions in this hearing
PAUL: “In the red folder on your table is a copy of Section 192 of Title II of the US Code… That section makes it a CRIME for a witness appearing under… https://t.co/JVItFvy6u0 pic.twitter.com/Sd6DNMY19z
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) July 29, 2026
The question now becomes whether or not Fauci will be held in contempt of Congress for refusing to answer questions, since he was given a pardon by former President Joe Biden and therefore can’t incriminate himself unless he gives truthful answers, and thus can’t normally hide behind Fifth Amendment protections.
However, we were led to believe that the man who once said “I represent science” would never have it come to this.
In December of 2022, as Fauci was leaving the government, CNN’s Chris Wallace asked him how he felt about the possibility that he might be forced to testify before Congress.
“Well, if I become a punching bag, I’m a punching bag,” Fauci said.
“But I am very happy to testify before any congressional oversight committee. I have nothing to hide. I can explain and validate everything that I’ve done.”
“So, you know, it’s going to be inconvenient if they actually are out there essentially threatening to make my life miserable but it’s — I mean, I’m going to do what I need to do and that is cooperate fully because we have nothing to hide at all,” he added.
Fauci in 2022: “I am very happy to testify before any congressional oversight committee.
I have nothing to hide. I can explain and validate everything that I’ve done.
I’m going to do what I need to do, and that is cooperate fully, because we have nothing to hide at all.” pic.twitter.com/vRYKHnLkPr
— Natalie Winters (@nataliegwinters) July 29, 2026
Aged like fine milk.
Now, I imagine part of this is because circumstances have changed.
Not only do we know more about how the federal government bungled the COVID response and cost lives, we also have Fauci’s diaries, in which Fauci speaks like a fame-obsessed teenage girl, except with immense power that was used with an extreme poverty of foresight.
They basically vindicated everything that his critics had said was true and he said was false: The science wasn’t settled, he was power-hungry as all get-out, and he was convinced of theories regarding the virus’ origin and effects that he would tar others as conspiracy kooks for holding.
The question remains whether or not he’ll be held in contempt for refusing to testify even though he should have nothing to worry about if he tells the truth. But then, it’s still fun, in a sad sort of way, to look at just how much confidence Mr. I Represent Science really exudes when he’s asked to put his mouth where his promises used to be.
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