Senate committee votes to hold Fauci in contempt for refusing to answer COVID questions
The 8-7 party-line vote follows Fauci’s repeated Fifth Amendment refusals, with Republicans saying Biden’s pardon removes his protection from contempt.
- The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after he invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination more than 100 times during a hearing on the federal COVID-19 response.
- Committee Chairman Rand Paul announced plans to send the contempt referral directly to the Department of Justice for potential prosecution, bypassing a full Senate floor vote where the measure would likely fail to clear a 60-vote threshold.
- Republicans contend that Fauci cannot claim Fifth Amendment protections, arguing that his pre-emptive presidential pardon from Joe Biden eliminates federal criminal liability for his pandemic-era conduct.
- Fauci and panel Democrats strongly rejected the resolution, with Fauci stating he invoked his constitutional rights because Paul's explicit objective was to force testimony that could be used to fulfill public pledges to put him "behind bars".
- The action creates a novel legal test for congressional oversight, forcing the Justice Department to evaluate whether a presidential pardon strips a witness of self-incrimination privileges or if remaining risks—such as state-level prosecutions or perjury charges—validate constitutional protections.
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358 Articles
Dr. Anthony Fauci Contempt Vote Reflects the Enduring Politics of COVID
<span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Dr. Anthony Fauci Contempt Vote Reflects the Enduring Politics of COVID</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Associated Press</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2026-08-06T13:58:45-05:00" title="Thursday, August 6, 2026 - 13:58" class="…
In the United States, a Senate committee has voted in favour of criminal prosecution of the former medical counsellor Fauci.
Rand Paul’s resolution holding Anthony Fauci in contempt passes Senate committee
A committee led by Sen. Rand Paul voted to hold former White House chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci in contempt following a contentious hearing where he pleaded the Fifth over 100 times.
He had been the leader of the fight against the Covid-19 epidemic in the United States. Dr. Anthony Fauci is now the target of an investigation by a US Congressional committee. Republican senators voted on Thursday, August 6, in favor of prosecuting the former White House medical advisor. This is the latest development in a case that has been ongoing for months.
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