Senate Republicans intensified their investigation into the federal government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic on Thursday, taking a major step toward holding Dr. Anthony Fauci accountable after he repeatedly declined to answer lawmakers’ questions by invoking the Fifth Amendment.
In a party-line vote, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee approved a resolution to hold the former nation’s top infectious disease official in contempt of Congress. The move came after Fauci refused to answer more than 100 questions during last week’s hearing, relying on his constitutional protection against self-incrimination instead of responding to lawmakers’ inquiries.
Committee Chairman Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) made it clear before the hearing that Fauci’s refusal to testify would not be without consequences. Following through on that warning, Paul advanced the contempt resolution, arguing that Congress cannot effectively conduct oversight when key witnesses refuse to answer questions involving one of the most consequential public health crises in American history.
