WASHINGTON — The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee meets today to vote on a resolution to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress, following a hearing last week in which Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment rights more than 100 times.
Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, refused to answer questions about the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, citing his constitutional protection against self-incrimination.
Republicans on the committee have driven the contempt resolution, arguing that Fauci's refusal obstructs congressional oversight and that he holds critical information about decisions made during the pandemic.
If the committee approves the resolution, it advances to the full Senate. A majority vote there would formalize the contempt charge.
Should the Senate act, the resolution would go to the Justice Department, which would then decide whether to pursue criminal charges against Fauci.
Fauci's legal team maintains that invoking the Fifth Amendment is a legitimate exercise of his constitutional rights, which allow individuals to decline to answer questions if their answers might incriminate them.
The contempt push is part of a broader Republican effort to scrutinize the federal government's handling of the COVID-19 crisis, including the origins of the virus and the effectiveness of public health policies.
Contempt of Congress is a powerful but rarely used tool, typically deployed when witnesses defy subpoenas or refuse to cooperate. The ultimate decision on whether to prosecute rests with the Justice Department, which would weigh the congressional referral against legal precedents and the specifics of Fauci's testimony.
