Senators to vote on holding Fauci in contempt of Congress
By Andrew Rice
The Center Square
U.S. senators will vote next week on holding in contempt of Congress the man who led the U.S. response to the global pandemic in 2020.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said senators would vote to determine whether Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute for Allergy and Disease, could be held in contempt of Congress for invoking his Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate himself when answering questions on his role during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee scheduled an "original resolution regarding Contempt of Congress" in a published business meeting agenda set for 10 a.m. Aug. 5.
President Joe Biden issued Fauci an unconditional pardon ranging from Jan. 1, 2014, to Jan. 19, 2025. Paul grilled Fauci on why he pleaded the fifth given the pardon's protections.
"Because you refuse to answer, citing a privilege that is unsupported, because of your pardon, and after being denied to do so, this committee is scheduled to vote next week on a resolution certifying your contempt," Paul said.
In his opening statement, Fauci said he was concerned Paul would seek to arrest him based on his testimony, regardless of his pardon.
"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, anything, that could vindicate his repeated public pledges that I end up, in his words, 'behind bars,'" Fauci said.
Fauci pleaded the Fifth Amendment right to protect from self-incrimination more than 100 times during the hearing. Senators asked him questions about his involvement or knowledge of a lab leak in Wuhan, China, that could have contributed to the outbreak and his handling of sensitive documents.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., asked Fauci about the day of the week, his tie color and the committee's carpet color. Fauci pleaded the Fifth Amendment each time.
Paul said Fauci would not be liable if he admitted to committing crimes during the hearing. He said Fauci could only be prosecuted if he was found to be lying to Congress.
"All he had to do today, if he wanted to testify, was be honest. As long as he was honest, even about committing a crime, he would have no jeopardy, but I think the pardon has given him more immunity than most people would ever get," Paul said.
"Today will be the capstone to Anthony Fauci's 40 years of abuse of power at NIH," Paul continued. "History will judge, but the facts, as we now know them, paint a sordid tale of dishonesty, misjudgment, and ultimately the hubris the likes of which the world has rarely seen."