Senate Panel Votes to Hold Fauci in Contempt After Invoking Fifth Amendment 111 Times
A Senate panel voted 8-5 to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after he invoked the Fifth Amendment 111 times during a COVID-19 hearing.
A Senate panel voted 8-5 on Thursday to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress following his refusal to answer questions about his conduct during the COVID-19 pandemic. The former White House COVID czar invoked the Fifth Amendment 111 times during a July 29 Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs subcommittee hearing.
Repeated Invocations of Fifth Amendment Rights
The 85-year-old former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases declined to address questions about pandemic policies, lockdown measures, and the origins of the coronavirus. His repeated refusals to testify prompted the contempt resolution, which authorizes Vice President JD Vance to certify the panel's report to D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.
Fauci, who led NIAID for 38 years starting in 1984 and advised seven presidents from both parties, became the face of the federal government's pandemic response in 2020. His prominence during that period has made him a lightning rod for ongoing Republican scrutiny of COVID-19 policies.
Path to Potential Prosecution
Under normal procedure, a contempt resolution passed by a Senate committee is forwarded to the full chamber for a vote. If the Senate approves the measure with a 60-vote majority, it goes to the U.S. attorney in the District of Columbia, who can bring the matter before a grand jury. The New York Times outlined this process in its coverage of the vote.
Long-Running Republican Clash
The contempt vote escalates Fauci's protracted battle with congressional Republicans, who have sought to revisit disputed aspects of the pandemic response including the virus's origins, lockdown policies, and federal health guidance that critics argue caused lasting economic and educational harm. TIME noted that the hearing represents the latest chapter in this "long-running clash" with Republicans.
The contempt resolution now awaits potential consideration by the full Senate, though the timing and likelihood of such a vote remain uncertain as Congress navigates a crowded legislative calendar ahead of the fall session.