Former White House chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci weighed in on Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.)’s refusal to recognize him as a doctor, calling it an “unusual performance.”
“So that’s the reason why I’m still getting death threats when you have performances like that unusual performance by Marjorie Taylor Greene in today’s hearing,” Fauci told CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins on Monday night.
Fauci, who was the face of the administration’s COVID-19 response while the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, testified before the House Oversight and Accountability Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic on Monday for the first time since retiring.
While questioning Fauci, Greene pointedly refused to recognize Fauci as a doctor and instead referred to him as “Mr. Fauci.”
“Do you think that’s appropriate? Do the American people deserve to be abused like that, Mr. Fauci, because you’re not ‘Dr.,’ you’re ‘Mr. Fauci’ in my few minutes,” Greene said before adding, “No, I don’t need your answer.”
Greene’s remarks were slammed by some Democrats. She was later reprimanded by Rep. Bran Wenstrup (R-Ohio), the chair of the subcommittee, who said, “The gentlelady will suspend instructed the Georgia Republican to recognize Fauci as a doctor.
At another point in the hearing, Fauci grew emotional while describing harassment and death threats he and his family continue to face after becoming the target of criticism over the federal pandemic response.
He told the subcommittee there have been “harassment by emails, texts and letters” to him, his wife and three daughters.
Fauci on CNN said receiving death threats is a “pattern” for those in positions akin to his, who often make public statements on policies.