The Senate is expected to vote on whether to hold Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after the former chief medical adviser invoked the Fifth Amendment and refused to answer questions during a Senate committee hearing focused on COVID-19.
Republicans on the Senate Homeland Security Committee called the hearing to question Fauci about the government's response to the pandemic. During the hearing, which was called by Republican Senator Rand Paul, Fauci declined to answer questions by invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Paul has investigated Fauci for years, and Fauci previously accused Paul of having an "unhinged obsession" with him.
Before the hearing, Paul released what he described as Fauci's diary, which contained critical descriptions of former President Donald Trump. According to the Wall Street Journal, Robert F. Kennedy's Department of Health and Human Services provided the Senate panel with a copy of Fauci's phone records. Kennedy wrote a book attacking Fauci in 2021 that sold over a million copies, in part due to endorsements from non-scientists including Tucker Carlson, Joe Rogan, Alan Dershowitz, and Tony Robbins.
The contempt vote reflects growing congressional scrutiny of the federal COVID-19 response. Fauci served as a key public health adviser during the pandemic and became a focal point for those opposed to lockdowns, mask mandates, and vaccine recommendations.
Scientists and Democrats have rallied to Fauci's defense. A group of 155 scientists signed an open letter calling for the government to stop what they described as the "vilification and harassment of many American scientists." Democratic Senator Gary Peters of Michigan argued that Fauci cannot be punished for exercising his constitutional rights. "This is only going to deter other scientific experts from public service," Peters said.
The Fifth Amendment allows witnesses to decline answering questions if they believe their responses could incriminate them. Peters' position highlights the partisan divide surrounding the contempt proceedings.
If the committee votes to hold Fauci in contempt, the matter would advance to the full Senate for consideration. A contempt of Congress citation can result in criminal prosecution or civil enforcement, though such cases often encounter legal challenges involving constitutional protections.
Three state attorneys general have also separately subpoenaed Fauci regarding COVID guidance, investigating whether he profited from federal guidance he helped develop during the pandemic. These state-level inquiries run parallel to the Senate committee's investigation into the government's pandemic response.