WATCH: Nine straight minutes of US Senator blasting 'narcissist' Fauci

Republican Senator Josh Hawley has grilled Anthony Fauci for nine straight minutes over allegations he enriched himself during the COVID-19 pandemic as the former NIAID director repeatedly pleaded the Fifth. On Wednesday, Fauci faced a Senate hearing on COVID-19 and the virus’ origins and pleaded the Fifth Amendment over 100 times. The Fifth Amendment of the US Constitution asserts nobody can be “compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself”. Hawley alleged Fauci used federal employees and government resources to solicit and secure more than a million dollars in cash awards during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the awards cited was the Dan David Prize, with Hawley claiming Fauci turned his staff into a "full-time application machine" to pursue the honours. "A million people dead, and you're getting rich," Hawley said. "A million people dead, you're using federal employees to get cash awards for you." Fauci, whose net worth Hawley placed at over $US12 million, declined to answer virtually every question, instead invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Hawley argued Fauci had no right to plead the Fifth, citing a prior presidential pardon and the Supreme Court case Brown v. Walker. He called Fauci's repeated invocations "contempt for this body and contempt for the American people." Hawley closed his nine minutes by delivering a final verdict on the former NIAID director, labelling him a "narcissist" and a "megalomaniac".