The Senate health committee, chaired by Republican Senator Rand Paul, voted along party lines to hold former CDC director Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after he refused to answer questions during a hearing on his handling of the Covid‑19 pandemic.
The resolution, which requires a two‑thirds majority in the full Senate, allows the committee to forward the case to the Justice Department for possible prosecution. While a presidential pardon issued by former President Joe Biden at the end of 2025 protects Fauci from federal charges for actions before that date, it does not cover contempt of Congress or state‑level offenses.
During the hearing, Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment privilege over 100 times, claiming Senator Paul was attempting to force him "behind bars". Dr Fauci’s lawyer, David Schertler, called the motion a political stunt and asserted that Fauci has "solid legal ground" in asserting the Fifth Amendment.
Senator Paul warned that the vote targeted fugitive compliance rather than Fauci’s opinions or policies. He criticized the "year‑long campaign" to prosecute the former health official, arguing that a pardon did not absolve him of all duties. Democrats, led by Senator Gary Peters, defended Fauci and described the action as a rushed investigation.
Contempt prosecutions are rare. In 2024, former Trump allies Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro were the first to be convicted in nearly four decades, receiving prison sentences.
