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In a stunning plot twist for a man who previously had no shortage of mandates and advice for the American public, Dr. Anthony Fauci suddenly found himself completely out of words during a recent Senate committee hearing. Facing relentless grilling from Senator James Lankford (R-OK) about the devastating human toll of the pandemic, ranging from shuttered churches and masked toddlers to Fauci's own private notes flagging a potential Wuhan lab leak. Fauci sounded like a broken record. Instead of offering his trademark guidance on why outdoor church parking lot services were treated like criminal enterprises or addressing the Chinese cover-up he privately acknowledged in early 2020, the former NIAID director repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Apparently, the science on answering tough Congressional inquiries is finally settled: just plead the Fifth.

Unamused by Fauci’s newfound commitment to brevity, Senator Lankford quickly tossed a procedural wrench into the proceedings. Lankford pointed out the rather convenient hypocrisy of Fauci delivering a robust opening statement only to clam up the second the hot seat actually got warm. He reminded the committee of a little history lesson from 2014, when former IRS official Lois Lerner tried the exact same "speak-then-plead" maneuver and earned herself a contempt of Congress charge for her trouble. Whether Fauci will face a similar fate remains up to the committee, but for now, the man who once famously declared that he represents science seems perfectly content to represent the right to remain completely silent.