GOP senator introduces FAUCI Act after viral hot-mic exchange with top COVID doctor

Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., announced on Thursday that he plans to introduce the "Fauci Act" following a tense exchange with Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci earlier this week.

The bill – dubbed the Financial Accountability for Uniquely Compensated Individuals (FAUCI) Act – reportedly seeks expand public knowledge around Fauci's compensation as a government official. While Marshall hasn't released the text of the legislation, his announcement comes just days after he pressed Fauci about his financial records.

"As the highest-paid employee in the entire federal government, yes or no, would you be willing to submit to Congress and the public a financial disclosure that includes your past and current investments?" Marshall asked Fauci on Tuesday.

"I don't understand why you're asking me that question," Fauci responded. "My financial disclosure is public knowledge and has been so for the last 37 years or so, 35 years."

"What a moron, Jesus Christ!" Fauci later muttered after their exchange ended.

According to the Center for Public Integrity, Fauci's finances "are already public," but "they could be easier to find." The center also noted that Marshall himself was 17 months months late in filing his own public disclosures.

In an interview on MSNBC later that day, Fauci called it "stunning…that a United States senator doesn't realize that my financial statement is public knowledge."

But Marshall told The Daily Mail that he saw the exchange very differently.

"Dr. Fauci was clearly shaken by my simple line of questioning," the Republican said. "Instead of agreeing to publicly provide his financial disclosures, he chose to spin the truth and once again mislead the American people."

During the hearing, Fauci also got into an acrimonious exchange with Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who has in the past accused the doctor of "juicing up" the COVID-19 virus by directing money to the Wuhan Virology Institute's "gain of function research" through the National Institute of Health.

Fauci had vehemently denied this claim and said on Tuesday that Paul's personal attacks have resulted in many threats against him and his family.

"What happens when he [Paul] gets out and accuses me of things that are completely untrue is that all of a sudden, that kindles the crazies out there and I have threats upon my life, harassment of my family and my children, because people are lying about me," Fauci said.