Days after Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) released more than 1,100 pages of Dr. Anthony Fauci's pandemic-era diary, Fauci — a man who apparently had plenty to say in private — had little to say to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.On Wednesday, Fauci walked in and invoked the Fifth Amendment 111 times, according to Paul. When Fauci's attorney tried to jump in out of turn, security dragged him out, the room erupting in applause.'All he had to do today was tell the truth ... even if he admitted to destroying thousands of records, which we think happened, there's no penalty attached. It would just be the truth.'Democrats called it a "scapegoat" exercise and likened it to the McCarthy trials, but Republicans pressed anyway. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) tested Fauci's newfound silence with trivia — asking Fauci innocuous questions about the day of the week and the color of a tie and some carpet.Fauci respectfully declined to answer each time, citing the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution.However, Hawley shot back: "You don't have any rights under the Fifth Amendment, because you've been pardoned." At the center of it all is Fauci's pardon from President Joe Biden. Some Republicans argue that the pardon is invalid outright, pointing to reports that it was executed by autopen rather than signed by hand.BlazeTV host Matt Kibbe argued that the plea itself proves the point: "For perhaps the first time in his life, Anthony Fauci didn't seem to bask in the flood of cameras and public attention. Pleading the Fifth, not allowed under the terms of his pardon, should trigger criminal contempt of Congress charges. And jail time." BlazeTV host Steve Deace went farther, arguing the fight isn't over even if the federal pardon holds: "There has to be consequences after this. ... There's no way that pardon is legitimate. And there has to be grounds for state Republican AGs to go after him even if it is. Because his pardon would not cover state offenses. And tyrannies and frauds were imposed at the state level." Deace's book on Fauci, "Faucian Bargain," digs into this argument further.RELATED: Fauci pleads the 5th, Paul removes his lawyer as hearing explodes Blaze podcast host Daniel Horowitz argued that the GOP is dodging the real story: "While Fauci's behavior is obviously criminal and contemptible, it is also very revealing how most Republicans are still obfuscating the most important issue. Senator Ron Johnson continues to be the only Republican willing to discuss the dangers of the COVID vaccines and the questions it raises on the entire vaccine industry."After the hearing, Paul was asked whether Fauci had any right to plead the Fifth at all. He said it's likely headed to court: "This has probably never been tested legally. ... With the grant of immunity, do you still need Fifth Amendment protections, or do they apply?"He argued that Fauci risked nothing by simply telling the truth: "All he had to do today was tell the truth. ... Even if he admitted to destroying thousands of records, which we think happened, there's no penalty attached. It would just be the truth."RELATED: Puppy love: Diary exposes Fauci's crush on Julia Roberts On next steps, Paul confirmed that the contempt vote is moving forward, though prosecution isn't up to him: "All I can do is recommend prosecution. I can't initiate a prosecution."He closed by pointing to public sentiment: "I do know that a great number of the population feels that Anthony Fauci was dishonest because of what he was saying in private was different, or the opposite."Mike Davis, founder of the Article III Project, framed it as an inescapable trap: "He either has that Biden pardon, and he's not subject to criminal liability for truthfully testifying today, and he refused — he pled the Fifth, illegally. Therefore, Rand Paul should hold him in contempt of Congress. ... Alternatively, if he didn't take that pardon from Biden, he should face charges for his crimes against humanity."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!