Senate Committee Votes to Hold Fauci in Contempt of Congress After Fifth Amendment Testimony

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The Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted Thursday to recommend contempt proceedings after Anthony Fauci declined to answer more than 100 questions during a hearing on the federal pandemic response and COVID-19’s origins.

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted Thursday morning to recommend that Dr. Anthony Fauci be held in contempt of Congress after the former federal health official repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination during testimony last week.

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The committee’s action begins a process that could eventually place the matter before the Justice Department for consideration of possible criminal charges, according to CNN.

Fauci, who served as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic and played a central role in the federal government’s response, invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times while appearing before the committee.

Senators questioned him about the government’s handling of the pandemic and the origins of the virus.

The legal path forward is complicated by a preemptive pardon issued by former President Joe Biden before he left office. The pardon covered potential federal offenses Fauci may have committed dating back to 2024.

Questions now center on whether the pardon applies to Fauci’s conduct during last week’s hearing and how its protections interact with his decision to invoke the Fifth Amendment.

The constitutional protection allows witnesses to refuse to answer questions when their responses could expose them to criminal liability.

The committee’s vote does not itself charge Fauci with a crime. It recommends that the Senate pursue contempt proceedings, after which the matter could be referred to the Justice Department.

Any decision by federal prosecutors would require consideration of both the conduct cited by the committee and the scope of Biden’s pardon.