Senate committee votes to hold Fauci in contempt for refusing to answer COVID questions
Aug 6, 2026, 7:27 AM | Updated: 12:08 pm
BY ERIC TUCKER, ASSOCIATED PRESS
KSLNewsRadio
WASHINGTON (AP) — A Senate committee on Thursday voted to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress and refer him to the Justice Department for potential prosecution over his refusal to answer questions at a hearing last week focused on his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs held the vote one week after Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination more than 100 times when he appeared before the panel.
Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, the committee chairman, has said that constitutional protection did not apply since Fauci last year received a pardon from Democratic President Joe Biden and thus did not have to worry about the threat of prosecution. Fauci and Democrats who opposed the contempt resolution say he had a well-founded fear of self-incrimination given a public desire by Republicans to seek his prosecution.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A Senate committee is set to vote Thursday on whether to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress and refer him to the Justice Department for potential prosecution over his refusal to answer questions at a hearing last week focused on his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination more than 100 times when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Sen. Rand Paul, the committee chairman, has said that constitutional protection did not apply since Fauci last year received a pardon from Democratic President Joe Biden and thus did not have to worry about the threat of prosecution.
“Dr. Fauci faced no risk of federal prosecution,” Paul, R-Ky., said at the outset of a hearing. “All he had to do was tell the truth.”
Paul noted that Thursday’s vote has nothing to do with Fauci’s policies, opinions or anything he has said in previous congressional appearances.
https://kslnewsradio.com/national-news/senate-committee-votes-to-hold-fauci-in-contempt-for-refusing-to-answer-covid-questions/2316272/
