Dr. Anthony Fauci declined to answer questions from senators about his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic after being subpoenaed by the homeland security committee led by Sen. Rand Paul. Fauci received what was viewed as a somewhat unprecedented preemptive pardon to shield him from potential political prosecution from then-president Joe Biden, covering the immunologist's activities in government between 2014 and Biden's last day in office in January 2025. Republicans contended that the pardon wouldn't apply to Wednesday's hearing. Fauci's decision to invoke the Fifth Amendment at least for now, sidesteps calls for his prosecution from Republicans frustrated with his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. In his opening statement, he said Paul has an "obvious obsession with calling for my prosecution." »»» Subscribe to CBC News to watch more videos: http://bit.ly/1RreYWS For breaking news, video, audio and in-depth coverage: https://www.cbc.ca/news Follow CBC News on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cbcnews Subscribe to CBC News on Snapchat: https://bit.ly/3leaWsr Subscribe to CBC News on WhatsApp: https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb6MSjH9Bb63S9tbQa1Y Download the CBC News app for iOS: http://apple.co/25mpsUz Download the CBC News app for Android: http://bit.ly/1XxuozZ »»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»» For more than 80 years, CBC News has been the source Canadians turn to, to keep them informed about their communities, their country and their world. Through regional and national programming on multiple platforms, including CBC Television, CBC News Network, CBC Radio, CBCNews.ca, mobile and on-demand, CBC News and its internationally recognized team of award-winning journalists deliver the breaking stories, the issues, the analyses and the personalities that matter to Canadians.