Senate Committee Votes to Hold Fauci in Contempt for Refusing to Answer COVID Questions

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted Thursday to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress for refusing to answer questions during his testimony last week on the COVID-19 pandemic. The Republican-led panel took the action after Fauci, the former top U.S. infectious disease expert, invoked the Fifth Amendment throughout the hearing. The vote follows a hearing in which Fauci remained silent when asked about his role in the government's pandemic response. Contempt of Congress is a formal rebuke that can be used to seek criminal charges, though the full Senate must still act on the matter. The move has drawn attention to legal questions about whether Fauci's Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination holds up in light of a pardon issued by President Biden. Fauci has not publicly responded to the committee's decision. The hearing and the contempt vote come as lawmakers continue to review the origins of COVID-19 and the actions of public health officials during the crisis. The committee's action is the latest step in an ongoing political fight over accountability for the pandemic. Further proceedings would be required for any enforcement of the contempt citation.