WASHINGTON, D.C. – A Senate committee voted to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of congress after he didn’t answer the committee’s questions about his handling of the COVID pandemic. However, a Presidential pardon for Dr. Fauci complicates this contempt resolution.
On a party line vote the Senate Homeland Security Committee voted to hold Dr. Fauci in contempt of Congress. This vote follows a hearing last week after Dr. Fauci did not answer the Committee’s questions on his handling of the COVID pandemic.
Republicans brought in the former top infectious disease official to question him if he funded research in China that ignited the coronavirus pandemic and lied to congress about it.
Dr. Fauci was given a pardon from former President Joe Biden to guard against potential attacks by the then-incoming Trump administration. Republicans argued that since Dr. Fauci received a pre-emptive presidential pardon, he was not entitled to invoke his fifth amendment right.
“Seeking the truth is not a witch hunt,” said Sen. Rand Paul (R- KY), chairman of the Committee. “Accountability is not vengeance. Accountability is what stands between the American people and a repeat of the mistakes and the very real consequences of the past.”
Last week’s hearing raised legal questions about the ability of Congress to compel testimony from someone who has been pardoned. The Committee’s chairman said he would deliver the resolution to the Justice Department instead of the full Senate. Democrats questioned the legal validity of the maneuver and argued he’s allowed to invoke his constitutional right.
“If this committee now seeks to punish a witness for asserting their constitutionally protected Fifth Amendment rights, future witnesses will argue that appearing before Congress exposes them to punishment regardless of whether they comply with the subpoena and invoke a constitutional protection,” said Sen. Gary Peters (D- MI), ranking member of the Committee. “They will point directly to this vote, this vote as a justification for refusing to appear at all.”
