A political battle over the government’s COVID-19 response is entering a new phase as Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) pushes to hold former White House health adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress.
Paul, chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, announced that the committee is scheduled to vote Thursday on a resolution that would hold Fauci in contempt after he repeatedly refused to answer lawmakers’ questions during a recent hearing.
Fauci Invoked the Fifth More Than 100 Times
Fauci appeared before the committee under subpoena but declined to answer substantive questions, invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination more than 100 times.
The committee’s proposed resolution authorizes the President of the Senate to certify that Fauci refused to answer questions that lawmakers considered pertinent to their investigation despite being subpoenaed to testify.
Paul argues that Fauci’s legal protections had already been removed.
Paul: Biden’s Pardon Eliminated the Fifth Amendment Defense
According to Paul, Fauci’s Fifth Amendment claim no longer applied because former President Joe Biden issued him a broad pardon covering more than a decade of conduct.
“Dr. Fauci appeared under subpoena and invoked the Fifth Amendment to refuse answering questions,” Paul said in a statement.
“During the hearing, I ruled that the Fifth Amendment did not apply because of the pardon, and that Fauci had waived any remaining privilege by giving opening testimony. I ordered him to answer and warned him about contempt, yet he still refused.”
Paul reiterated on social media that the committee would vote Thursday on whether to formally hold Fauci in contempt.
COVID Policies Remain at the Center of the Dispute
During the hearing, Paul sharply criticized Fauci’s role in the federal government’s pandemic response, arguing that the longtime health official has never accepted responsibility for policies including lockdowns, school closures, and vaccine mandates.
Paul also renewed allegations that Fauci promoted the theory that COVID-19 emerged naturally while privately recognizing evidence supporting a possible laboratory origin.
“The American people deserve answers,” Paul said during his opening remarks. “The American people deserve to know why dangerous research was funded by NIAID in a totalitarian country, in a lab that lacked acceptable safety standards.”
What Happens Next?
If the committee approves the contempt resolution, it would mark a significant escalation in congressional scrutiny of Fauci and the government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The vote comes amid continuing political debate over the origins of COVID-19, federal pandemic policies, and the legal effect of Biden’s pardon on Fauci’s testimony before Congress.