- Dr. Anthony Fauci vented on a hot mic that Sen. Roger Marshall was a "moron."
- His frustration came after an increasingly tense exchange over Fauci's financial disclosure
- Forbes previously reported Fauci is the highest-paid federal employee.
Dr. Anthony Fauci called Sen. Roger Marshall a "moron" after the Kansas Republican repeatedly pressed Fauci to disclose more of his finances as the reported highest-paid federal employee.
"What a moron," Fauci said in an apparent hot mic moment. "Jesus Christ."
Marshall's extended back-and-forth over Fauci's finances comes as multiple Republican senators have teed off on President Biden's top health advisor during a hearing on the administration's handling of the pandemic. For months, some GOP lawmakers have called on Fauci to be fired.
Fauci said his financial disclosure and other related information is public information, which is true. But like the White House, reporters and the public need to file information act requests for it. Liz Essley Whyte, a Center for Public Integrity reporter, wrote on Twitter that she requested and received Fauci's 2020 disclosure form.
"All you have to do is ask for it," Fauci snapped at Marshall. "You are so misinformed that it's extraordinary."
Forbes previously reported that Fauci is the highest-paid federal employee and made $417,608 in 2019.
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, where Fauci serves as director, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.