Senate Vote Planned on Fauci’s Contempt

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who heads the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, announced that a vote will occur next week to consider holding Anthony Fauci in contempt. This decision comes after Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), chose not to answer questions during his testimony, opting instead to invoke the Fifth Amendment repeatedly.

After the hearing, Paul told reporters, “That represents a vote in committee that will happen next week. It would show a disregard for Congress.” He emphasized that Fauci had not responded to any inquiries posed by lawmakers.

“We think he shouldn’t need to invoke the Fifth Amendment because he has immunity from criminal liability,” Paul elaborated. “And if he receives a pardon, the Fifth Amendment protections might not apply.” He pointed out that this situation raises legal questions, but the matter of contempt would be decided through a committee vote and whether the Justice Department would act on it.

During his opening remarks, Fauci clearly stated he wouldn’t be answering lawmakers’ questions. After requesting clarification that Fauci declined to provide, Paul indicated there would be consequences for this refusal.

“The Chair has denied your claim of privilege, directing you to answer, yet you’ve refused while asserting privilege, despite holding a pardon. After this hearing, the Committee will have to determine the right steps to take due to your noncompliance,” Paul stated.

He further emphasized, “It’s illegal to obstruct a Congressional investigation. There will be consequences for your refusal to testify today.”

Other committee members also expressed their belief that Fauci, who was pardoned by former President Joe Biden, had no reason to withhold information. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) pointed out, “To be clear, once pardoned, you lose your Fifth Amendment rights,” citing legal precedents established over the years. “Your lawyers behind you must be feeling uneasy about this.”

He added, “This isn’t merely a constitutional issue. It’s about contempt and disrespect for this committee and for the American public,” suggesting that Fauci was avoiding questions due to “a lot of troubling decisions” made during the pandemic.

In total, Fauci has invoked the Fifth Amendment on 111 occasions.