WASHINGTON — Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) went off on Dr. Anthony Fauci Wednesday, blaming him for COVID lockdown mandates and asking: “Who the f–k do you think you were for doing that?”
Moreno began his round of questioning during the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee by ripping into Fauci’s attorney and scolding the former White House COVID-19 czar for his handling of the pandemic.
“Clearly, what you think today is that somehow you’re above reproach. Somehow you feel like you don’t need to be treated like a normal American,” he said before recounting a list of once-mocked beliefs that have gained levels of acceptance.
“If, during the time of the COVID pandemic, you were called the racist for calling the virus a ‘Wuhan virus’ or the ‘China virus’; if you thought the six-foot rule was total crap; if you thought the vaccine wasn’t something that you should take; if you thought it was outrageous the way the mass policy was rolled out; if you were fired from your job for not taking that vaccine, including members of the military; if you thought closing schools was catastrophically stupid and if you thought that saying these things made you somehow a lesser human being, stand up,” Moreno instructed spectators.
Several audience members did so, including Fox News host Laura Ingraham.
Moreno then pressed Fauci to turn around and look at the audience members. Fauci declined to do so, but he did speak to someone behind him, who appeared to be an attorney or assistant.
“Look at the people who were absolutely shamed for saying what we know now to be the truth,” the senator demanded of Fauci. “You can’t even look at them.”
The Ohio Republican recalled reading a news story during the pandemic about a mother and her children being arrested for not wearing masks outside while watching a football game — and it prompted him to consider running for Congress.
“When that story broke, I said to myself, ‘I cannot stand idly on the side and watch this happen,’” Moreno told Fauci.
“It was about six years ago today that I decided ‘I’m going to give up my businesses, sell them all, run for office, run for the United States Senate.’
“Here I am sitting in front of you six years later saying, ‘Who the f–k do you think you were for doing that?’”
Moreno attempted to lob a few questions at Fauci, but the doctor invoked his Fifth Amendment rights and declined to do so, something he did more than 100 times throughout the hearing.
The senator then noted Fauci’s hiring of high-powered lawyer David Schertler who repped former Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) in the recent bribery case that ended in the Democrat’s conviction.
“Do you feel like you’re in deep s–t?” Moreno snarked to Fauci, who once again pleaded the Fifth.
Like other Republicans on the committee, Moreno repeatedly needled Fauci and asked pointed questions to tempt him to break his routine.
“Will you apologize — just apologize — to the people you harmed through your actions?” he asked at one point. “Do you have the dignity to just say you’re sorry?”
Fauci again invoked his Fifth Amendment right.
Committee Chairman Rand Paul (R-Ky.) later announced that the panel will vote next week on whether to hold Fauci in contempt for failing to answer questions despite having already received a full pardon from then-President Joe Biden.
Contempt charges carry penlaties of up to 1 to 12 months behind bars and fines of up to $100,000.
