Martin Shkreli’s notorious mixture of contempt and bemusementwas on full-display at a Congressional hearing over drug prices onThursday.

The controversial pharmaceutical executive attended the hearingto which he had been subpoenaed but said almostnothing in response to questions about his business practices.Because Shkreli is facing criminal charges of defrauding investors,he invoked his Fifth Amendment right againstself-incrimination.

Those charges are not related to his leadership of TuringPharmaceuticals, the firm that is one of the subjects of a pricegouging investigation by Congress, but it was apparently relatedenough that his attorney advised him to remain silent and Congresshas not sought any legal remedy yet to force him to talk.

“I intend to follow the advice of my counsel, not yours,” hesaid in response to a suggestion from Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., thathis testimony about drug prices would not jeopardize his defenseagainst the criminal charges.

As a result, Shkreli on Thursday served as little more than asmirking target of disgust and derision from members of the HouseCommittee on Oversight and Government Reform.

"Drug company executives are lining their pockets at the expenseof some of the most vulnerable families in our nation," said Rep.Elijah Cummings, D-Maryland, the senior Democrat on the committee."It's not funny, Mr. Shkreli. People are dying and they're gettingsicker and sicker."

Cummings later added that he believed Shkreli was in a uniqueposition to do good for Americans, and that he hoped he would seizethat opportunity.

Valeant Pharmaceuticals, another company that has purchased therights of medications and dramatically hiked their prices, expressed far moredeference to its critics. CEO Howard Schiller touted the discountsthe company has offered providers, insurers and pharmacies. He alsocalled for Congress to change rules so that drug companies would beallowed to help Medicare patients directly with out-of-pocketcosts, a practice that is currently prohibited as an illegalkickback.

Above all, Schiller said the company had “made mistakes” withits prices, and that it wouldn’t do so again.

“(W)e’re listening and we’re changing,” he said.