Conservative lawmaker attacks Fauci ahead of high-stakes hearing

Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), the chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, is attacking Anthony Fauci ahead of a highly anticipated hearing on Tuesday.

Biggs said in a tweet that Fauci "has continually used his bully pulpit to bring public criticism on governors who are seeking to open up their states."

The Arizona Republican added that top Trump administration health officials have replaced faith and hope with fear and despair.

"The remedy is to open up our society & our economy," he added. "Trust & respect our freedom."

The comments from Biggs come just ahead of a Senate Health Committee hearing where Fauci, who is the government's top infectious disease expert, and other health experts will testify.

Fauci said in a statement to The New York Times that he plans to warn of "needless suffering and death" if the country reopens "prematurely." Fauci pointed to the guidelines issued by President Trump's White House on reopening the economy, saying states should not skip steps outlined in them. Those guidelines include criteria like having a 14-day decline in new cases before moving to reopen.

Some states are now moving forward with reopening without having met those criteria, worrying health experts who warn of the risk of a spike in infections.

Some conservatives like Biggs, though, have been warning that stay-at-home orders and the closure of nonessential businesses are infringing on people's rights.

He and eight other House conservatives introduced a resolution last week stating that many orders issued by state and local officials "infringe on the constitutional rights of Americans and impose economic restrictions based on subjective views of which businesses and activities are essential and which are not."