R Magic Brow

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!

A viral nightclub video featuring WNBA star Paige Bueckers during the league's All-Star weekend has just reignited fan’s love for Caitlin Clark — believing she is the only one who embodies what the “face of the league” means.In the video, Bueckers’ appears to be dancing and stripping down to her bra alongside other players, including Seattle Storm guard Natisha Hiedeman.“Could you make Paige Bueckers the face of your league if this is the way she’s allowing herself to be documented out?” Whitlock asks.“The big story this weekend was Caitlin Clark skipped the red carpet, Cailtin Clark wasn’t at this or that. And this is why, because she doesn’t want to put herself in the stud buds videos that go on at night,” he explains.“Because she actually does want to be the face of the league and takes that responsibility off court very seriously. But no one else could be the face of the league because it’s a bunch of clowns for the most part,” he adds.Steve Kim points out that her detractors will likely call Clark out for “white nationalism” and “white supremacy” because she believes in “working hard.”“But this is the problem though, and we have to be blunt about this ... sports mirrors society, and society mirrors sports,” he continues.“These older women are the role models to the younger generation. That’s at least a theory, right?” he asks.And Whitlock doesn’t believe they should be any woman’s role model — explaining that he thinks they’re impersonating men — and failing miserably.Whitlock believes the women of the WNBA are attempting to impersonate men, but failing miserably.“They’re trying to do a bad man impersonation. And that’s what Paige Bueckers is doing inside the nightclub, doing a bad man impersonation, and it just looks foolish,” he says.Want more from Jason Whitlock?To enjoy more fearless conversations at the crossroads of culture, faith, sports, and comedy with Jason Whitlock, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

The first major decision at the Federal Reserve under new Chairman Kevin Warsh has come and gone, but little has changed.On Wednesday, the Fed announced that the interest rate would hold at between 3.5% and 3.75%, despite calls from Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan and others for a "modest" increase.'We will deliver price stability.'The decision was released at 2 p.m. ET, revealing that Warsh and eight other committee members had voted in favor of a fifth straight hold on rates, while three opposed.Shortly after the announcement, Warsh spoke publicly."The economy is showing impressive resilience," Warsh said. "Even with recent shocks, the trends are positive and reveal solid growth. Job gains have kept pace with the workforce, and the unemployment rate has changed little."Warsh also admitted that "inflation remains elevated relative to the committee's 2% goal," but promised: "We will deliver price stability."The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.RELATED: Jerome Powell is out — for good reason. Here are 4 of his top blunders. Anna Moneymaker/Getty ImagesPresident Donald Trump has pushed for years for the Fed to lower interest rates. "Interest Rates too high!" he posted on Truth Social back in May.On Monday, Trump said of Warsh: "Kevin’s fantastic, but he’s got a board, and the board members are very political. He wants to do the right thing. I know what he wants to do. But you need the consent of some people that have perhaps bad intentions. Rates should be lowered."Trump nominated Warsh to be Fed chair back in January, and he was confirmed in May. Warsh replaced longtime Chair Jerome Powell, who repeatedly butted heads with Trump over interest rates.Trump nicknamed Powell "Too Late" and called him a "DISASTER" because of his reluctance to lower interest rates."Jerome 'Too Late' Powell wants to stay at the Fed because he can’t get a job anywhere else — Nobody wants him," Trump wrote in April. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The Department of Justice has announced an investigation into noncitizen voting in New Jersey, but the state's Democratic governor is resisting the probe.New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D) admitted on July 21 that about 6,600 noncitizens had been mistakenly registered to vote, and of those, about 400 cast votes.'NJ has a legal duty to keep ineligible voters off its rolls ... DOJ will get this information through all legal means!' She blamed the wrongful registrations on a "software error," though the company working with the Motor Vehicle Commission countered that all the information it transmits "must still be validated and adjudicated by the Division of Elections."The Department of Justice responded by demanding that the governor hand over a list of those voters, but Sherrill has rejected the order."Today, I informed [Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon] that New Jersey will not provide the personal information of thousands of New Jersey residents. The request had no legal basis, and I will always protect New Jerseyans' personally identifiable information," Sherrill wrote on social media Tuesday.She posted her letter response, which claimed that the request violated federal laws, including the Privacy Act.On Wednesday, Dhillon fired back."Gov. Sherrill’s refusal to cooperate with federal law enforcement does nothing to protect law-abiding NJ voters," she responded on social media. "NJ has a legal duty to keep ineligible voters off its rolls, & our request is grounded in that legal authority. DOJ will get this information through all legal means!"Sherrill had accused the Trump administration of weaponizing the government when asked if she would comply with the demand from the Justice Department."As I have said, I am not in the habit of turning over private, identifying information of the citizens of New Jersey," said the governor to a reporter. "This federal government is weaponizing the government against individuals that disagree with them. They weaponized my private data against me in my election, and so I am working to protect people and their private data here in New Jersey."RELATED: ICE drops fiery response to Democratic governor suing to block new detention center Sherrill previously said the 400 noncitizens who voted were scattered across the state and were a mix of Republicans, Democrats, and unaffiliated.She also said they were immediately taken off of the voter rolls as soon as her administration discovered the error, which she claims was made under her predecessor.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!