Senate committee votes to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress; Rand Paul to send resolution directly to Justice Department, bypassing floor vote

A Senate committee voted 8-5 to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress for refusing to answer questions during a hearing last week, where he invoked his Fifth Amendment rights over 100 times.¹⁴⁵

Committee Chairman Sen. Rand Paul stated, "Holding a witness in contempt is a serious thing, and it should be rare," emphasizing that the contempt power exists for such circumstances. Paul plans to send the resolution directly to the Justice Department, bypassing a full Senate vote, as he believes Fauci's invocation of the Fifth is unwarranted due to a Biden-era pardon shielding him from federal prosecution.⁶⁷

Fauci's attorney argued he had "solid legal ground" in asserting his rights, while Paul contended that the legal question remains unsettled. Fauci expressed concern over potential criminal charges, stating, "The only conclusion I can reach is that the sole reason he is calling me before this committee is to get me to say something... that could vindicate his repeated public pledges that I end up, in his words, 'behind bars.'"

The resolution requires the Senate president to certify the report to the U.S. Attorney for potential prosecution, leaving the decision to the Justice Department. Paul acknowledged that contempt resolutions typically go through the full Senate but opted for a direct referral to expedite the process.