Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul introduced a resolution Tuesday to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress.
Fauci repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment at a July 29 Senate in response to questions ranging from the serious to the absurd. Though compelled to testify under a subpoena, Fauci stonewalled questions about whether he lied under oath about gain-of-function research in Wuhan, China the relationship between the National Institutes of Health and the intelligence community, and his history of championing high-risk virology research.
He even refused to answer when asked whether he had a red folder in front of him, what day of the week it was, and the color of his tie.
“On advice of counsel I respectfully decline to answer based upon my rights under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution,” Fauci said more than 100 times in response to Paul’s questions.
Fauci received a “full and unconditional pardon” for any crimes he committed from a period stretching from Jan. 1, 2014, to the date of the pardon, Jan. 19, 2026, Biden’s penultimate day in office. The resolution states that “Paul found the privilege of the Fifth Amendment unsupported” as Fauci invoked his rights against self-incrimination for a period of time for which he has received a pardon. The resolution also argues that Fauci forfeited his right to invoke the Fifth Amendment by giving a brief opening statement at the hearing.
Paul’s Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee (HSGAC) will vote on whether to hold Fauci in contempt on Thursday, an agenda posted to the HSGAC website shows.
“The President of the Senate shall certify the report of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate, detailing the refusal of Dr. Anthony S. Fauci to answer questions pertinent to the subject under inquiry, to the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, to the end that Dr. Fauci be proceeded against in the manner and form provided by law,” the resolution reads.
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