The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Thursday voted to hold Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after the former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) chief pled the Fifth well over 100 times during his testimony before lawmakers last week.
Chairman Rand Paul (R-KY) announced the 8-5 committee vote on Thursday morning.
In an all caps post, Paul wrote, “PASSED BY REPUBLICANS ON BEHALF OF THE MILLIONS OF AMERICANS AND THEIR FAMILIES STILL AFFECTED YEARS AFTER THE COVID PANDEMIC, THE RESOLUTION TO HOLD ANTHONY FAUCI IN CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS HAS PASSED OUT OF THE SENATE HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE BY A VOTE OF 8-5.”
Paul explained prior to the vote that lawmakers were voting on “whether a witness, who has received the benefit of a sweeping federal pardon, can be ordered by this committee to answer questions — and then defy that order without consequence.”
“We only have one question: Whether to hold a witness responsible for his contempt toward Congress / The witness had many chances to answer the questions pertinent to our investigation, and he made his decision 111 times,” Paul stated.
The resolution of the text, dropped earlier this week, laid out Fauci’s refusal to answer pertinent questions to lawmakers, despite what many Republicans have dubbed his “autopen” pardon from former President Joe Biden. The resolution stated that Fauci: “was knowingly provided ‘A Full and Unconditional Pardon’ dated January 19, 2025, ‘For any offenses against the United States which he may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 1, 2014, through the date of this pardon arising from or in any manner related to his service as Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, as a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force or the White House COVID–19 Response Team, or as Chief Medical Advisor to the President.’”
Despite Paul denying Fauci’s assertion of privilege, Fauci still refused to answer a single question:
Resolved, That pursuant to sections 102 and 104 of the Revised Statutes (2 U.S.C. 192, 194), the President of the Senate shall certify the report of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate, detailing the refusal of Dr. Anthony S. Fauci to answer questions pertinent to the subject under inquiry, to the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, to the end that Dr. Fauci be proceeded against in the manner and form provided by law.
Now that the committee passed the resolution, it goes to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia rather than the Senate floor for a full vote.
“We will send it to the Department of Justice tomorrow so there’s no delay,” Paul stated this week. “That will be a committee recommendation.”
The vote comes as the Senate Homeland Security Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations announces it is in possession of a copy of Fauci’s phone.
“The Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations has obtained a copy of Dr. Fauci’s phone from HHS,” Chairman Ron Johnson (R-WI) announced. “Hopefully, this device will address many of the questions he refused to answer at last week’s hearing.”
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