Dr. Anthony Fauci was caught on hot mic calling Republican Senator Roger Marshall a "moron" as he fielded questions from lawmakers on his work on the country's Covid-19 response. A frustrated Fauci said, "What a moron. Jesus Christ' after Marshall accused him of hiding finances during a Senate Health Committee hearing on Tuesday.
Fauci got agitated when Marshall asked him questions on his financial disclosure. Although the top Biden health advisor and the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases didn't show his frustration on his face, he went on to call Marshall a "moron" which was caught on hot mic.
Frustrated Fauci
Fauci looked visibly frustrated throughout the Senat Health Committee hearing. It began all with Marshall using his entire time of questioning to attack Fauci. He even displayed a large fake check pointing out the infectious disease expert's hefty government paycheck.
He then questioned him his financial disclosure and justify his hefty paycheck. Marshall then asked Fauci if he should have a publicly available financial disclosure form, as did the other witnesses on the panel including CDC Director Dr Rochelle Walensky.
Fauci first replied to Marshall question by saying that his financial disclosures, including his $434,212-a-year salary, are public knowledge. He continued to repeat that.
However, after this fiery back-and-forth wound down and Marshall's time was up and Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., was about to ask a question, Fauci could be heard sighing on hot mic, "What a moron" and "Jesus Christ" in response to Marshall's questioning.
Fauci and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky appeared before the Senate panel on Tuesday to defend the Biden administration's response to the Covid-19 pandemic as it nears the end of its second year and with the administration and agency facing a crisis of confidence and trust.
Fauci Furious
During the tense hearing session, Fauci continuously defended himself and the Biden administration by accusing Republican Senator Rand Paul of personally attacking him for "political gain, distorting 'everything' he says" and inspiring 'crazies' to want to kill him during another tense battle.
However, he got agitated --- although it didn't show on his face – after Marshall continuously kept on accusing him of hiding his finances. "You are totally incorrect," Fauci told Marshall, referring to the idea that his finances were somehow a secret.
"I don't understand why you're asking me that question. My financial disclosure is public knowledge and has been so for the last 37 years or so," Fauci replied.
Much like other government officials, Fauci is bound by law to disclose his financial information on an annual basis. Moreover, Fauci has never run into trouble with the statute or neglected to follow it in public knowledge.
However, Marshall continued to pressed him, "But the big tech giants are doing an incredible job of keeping it from being public. We'll continue to look for it. Where would we find it?"
Fauci said, "All you have to do is ask for it. You're so misinformed. It's extraordinary." But Marshall continued with his rant, leaving Fauci agitated and even after being called, "moron", Marshall remained undeterred.
"Calling me a moron during a Senate hearing may have alleviated the stress of the least trusted bureaucrat in America, but it didn't take away from the facts," Marshall later said in a statement after the hearing was over.
In a statement, Marshall also said Fauci "had a very frustrating day" because of stiff questioning on the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic, among other issues.
In earlier questioning, Marshall told Fauci "the American people don't trust the words coming out of your mouth. Every day you appear on TV, you do more damage than good when it comes to educating the public on Covid."
