Dr. Anthony Fauci is slated to face a contempt of Congress vote after he declined to answer questions from a Senate committee regarding his activities during the coronavirus pandemic. During a hearing on Wednesday, Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination over 100 times, a move that prompted Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairman Rand Paul to schedule a vote for next week. Paul asserts that a blanket pardon granted to Fauci by former President Joe Biden on January 19, 2025, a day before Biden left office, negates Fauci's right to invoke the Fifth Amendment for actions between 2014 and 2025, which were covered by the pardon.
Fauci, who led the US COVID-19 response across two administrations, delivered an opening statement before refusing to answer questions. In his statement, he accused Senator Rand Paul of having an "obvious obsession" with prosecuting him, which he cited as the reason for his decision to invoke his Fifth Amendment rights. While the pardon protects him from federal prosecution for actions within the specified period, he could still face charges for any actions occurring after that date or state and local charges.
Senator Paul argues that by making an opening statement before invoking his Fifth Amendment right, Fauci effectively waived that right. The committee, where Republicans hold an 8-7 majority, will vote on whether to hold Fauci in contempt, a process that could lead to the Justice Department considering criminal charges. Paul indicated he would refer Fauci directly to the Department of Justice with a legal brief, sidestepping a full Senate vote on the matter, although some Democrats defended Fauci's refusal to engage.
