Senate Panel Holds Dr. Anthony Fauci in Contempt After He Pleads the Fifth 111 Times
A Republican-led Senate committee voted Thursday to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after the former government health official repeatedly refused to answer questions about the COVID-19 pandemic and U.S.-funded research, invoking his Fifth Amendment rights 111 times during testimony last week.
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee approved the contempt resolution in an 8-5 vote. The move came after Chairman Rand Paul accused Fauci of improperly refusing to comply with the committee’s demand for answers about his handling of the pandemic and controversial research connected to the origins of COVID-19.
Fauci, who previously led the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment during his appearance before the committee. His attorney argued that Fauci feared potential criminal prosecution and political retaliation, while Republicans questioned whether he could legitimately claim a risk of prosecution after receiving a sweeping preemptive pardon from President Joe Biden before Biden left office.
Paul has argued that Biden’s pardon undermines Fauci’s justification for refusing to answer questions because the pardon covered potential federal offenses connected to his government service. The Kentucky Republican has accused Fauci of obstructing the committee’s investigation and warned during the hearing that there would be consequences for refusing to testify.
The contempt fight comes as Senate investigators continue digging into Fauci’s communications from the early days of the pandemic. Investigators have obtained a copy of the cellphone Fauci used during the COVID era, potentially giving lawmakers access to additional information about his communications and decision-making at the time.
Paul has also released material from Fauci’s personal diary that Republicans say raises new questions about what Fauci privately believed about the origins of COVID-19 compared with statements made publicly during the pandemic. The broader investigation has focused heavily on U.S. funding for scientific research and questions surrounding gain-of-function research.
Democrats on the committee defended Fauci’s constitutional right against self-incrimination and accused Republicans of attempting to punish him for exercising that protection. Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan argued that the Fifth Amendment applies even to witnesses who have received pardons, setting up a potential legal fight.