Marshall to introduce financial disclosure bill after ‘moron’ hot-mic dustup with Fauci

Republican Sen. Roger Marshall plans to introduce a new bill called the “FAUCI Act” after a public dustup with White House medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci over what the senator says is a lack of transparency around Dr. Fauci’s financial records.

The Financial Accountability for Uniquely Compensated Individuals Act would require the Office of Government Ethics to release currently unpublished financial records for certain government officials.

Dr. Marshall, a Kansas Republican and a medical doctor himself, came to rhetorical blows with Dr. Fauci during a Senate hearing earlier this week on the Biden administration’s ongoing COVID response strategy.

Conservative critics seized on the hearing Tuesday to express skepticism over how the strategy is being handled by Dr. Fauci, who is also President Biden’s chief medical adviser.

At one point in the hearing, Dr. Fauci lost his temper when Dr. Marshall accused him of hiding financial disclosure forms required of public officials. The clash quickly made headlines after a hot mic caught Dr. Fauci calling Dr. Marshall a “moron.”

“I don’t know why you’re asking me that question,” Dr. Fauci said in response to the questions about his financial records. “My financial disclosure is public knowledge and has been so for the last 37 years or so.”

“All you have to do is ask for it,” he told Dr. Marshall. “You’re so misinformed, it’s extraordinary.”

While Dr. Fauci’s financial records are public information, the Center for Public Integrity has said the process for obtaining them can take months.

Dr. Marshall has been among a group of Republican lawmakers critical of Dr. Fauci and the Biden administration’s handling of the ongoing pandemic.

Dr. Marshall has previously introduced a measure calling for a bipartisan congressional committee to investigate the origins of COVID-19. He also has introduced a measure to restrict the Department of Defense from issuing other-than-honorable discharges for troops who refuse to take the vaccine which passed as part of this year’s National Defense Authorization Act.

His plan now to introduce the “FAUCI Act,” comes as Dr. Fauci claims to be facing threats from the public.

During Tuesday’s hearing, Dr. Fauci told lawmakers that he has needed increased security since 2020 because of threats and harassment against him and his family.

• This article is based in part on wire service reports.