- The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted 8-7 along party lines to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after he invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times during a hearing last week.
- Chairman Rand Paul bypassed a full Senate vote and sent the referral directly to the Justice Department for potential prosecution.
- The Justice Department confirmed receipt of the referral and is currently reviewing it.
- Fauci, who led the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for 38 years, became the face of the US pandemic response and a primary target of anger over measures taken against a virus that killed more than 1.1 million Americans.
- Democrats introduced five motions to postpone the vote, all of which failed along party lines.
- Paul has pursued a years-long investigation to try to prove his and other Republicans' conviction that Fauci orchestrated a cover-up of the coronavirus' origins.
A Senate committee voted 8-7 to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after he invoked the Fifth Amendment over 100 times during a hearing regarding his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.1238
Senator Rand Paul, who has long criticized Fauci, pushed the referral to the Justice Department for prosecution, claiming Fauci failed to comply with a congressional subpoena.456710
Paul stated, "The chair directed Anthony Fauci to answer. He refused," emphasizing that the vote was about Fauci's refusal to respond, not his past policies.
Fauci's attorney, David Schertler, condemned the vote as a "crude political stunt" aimed at punishing Fauci for exercising his constitutional rights. He asserted that Fauci has committed no crime and is on solid legal ground in asserting his Fifth Amendment privilege.
The contempt resolution is part of a broader Republican effort to scrutinize the pandemic response, with Paul alleging a cover-up regarding the virus's origins.
Democrats criticized the process, arguing that Paul bypassed a full Senate vote, which would likely have failed to achieve the necessary majority.9
Contempt of Congress is a federal misdemeanor that can result in fines up to $100,000 and up to 12 months in prison.
A Justice Department spokesperson confirmed receipt of the referral and stated they are reviewing it.
"Seeking the truth is not a witch hunt," Paul asserted, while Democrats labeled the move dangerous and unprecedented.
“The referral bypasses a full Senate vote, which Democrats call a violation of rules and which legal experts say could render it 'null and void.' Fauci's lawyer calls the move a 'crude political stunt' and a 'personal vendetta,' while Trump suggests prosecution, comparing Fauci to Navarro and Bannon.”
BBC
