A US Senate committee voted to hold former top public health official Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after he refused to answer questions during a hearing on his role in the Covid-19 pandemic response.

The vote, which split along party lines, clears the way for the committee to refer the matter to the justice department for possible prosecution. It remains unclear whether prosecutors will take action.

Fauci, who testified last week, repeatedly invoked the constitutional right against self-incrimination, doing so more than 100 times during the session, according to the hearing accounts described by US media.

Contempt Referral and Legal Uncertainty

Under the committee’s contempt procedures, the panel can pass a resolution and forward the case to the justice department if it believes a witness failed to comply with a congressional subpoena.

In this case, the committee action does not itself determine whether charges will be brought. A referral would instead allow prosecutors to decide whether to pursue the contempt allegation.

If the matter were to proceed, it could raise questions about the scope of prior legal protection for Fauci, including whether any potential charges would relate to actions after a recent presidential pardon.

Fifth Amendment Claims and Defence Response

Following the committee vote, Fauci’s lawyer criticised the decision, saying it was a “crude political stunt” aimed at punishing Fauci for exercising his constitutional right.

Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul, the committee’s chairman, had argued before the vote that the committee was deciding whether Fauci could be ordered to answer questions and then defy that order without consequences.

Ahead of the decision, Paul said the chair had directed Fauci to respond and that Fauci refused. He also said the vote was not about Fauci’s past views or policy record.

Fauci himself denied wrongdoing during the hearing. He accused Paul of an “obvious obsession” with pursuing prosecution and said Paul was trying to get him to make statements that could support repeated claims that Fauci would end up “behind bars”.

The top Democrat on the committee, Michigan Senator Gary Peters, defended Fauci, accusing Paul of launching what he described as a rushed investigation and a long-running campaign to bring a case.

Pandemic Origins Dispute and the Pardon

The committee hearing took place against ongoing public debate in the US over the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The origins have been disputed between political figures and public health officials, including differences raised during Donald Trump’s presidency, when the pandemic began in 2020. Many scientists have said exposure to an infected animal is a more likely origin than a laboratory escape.

Paul has for years accused Fauci of seeking to conceal information about the outbreak’s origins and of supporting research funding connected to a lab in Wuhan, where some people believe the pandemic started with a lab leak. Fauci has denied any wrongdoing.

In his final day in office in 2025, then-President Joe Biden granted Fauci a pre-emptive pardon protecting him from federal prosecution for actions between 2014 and 2025.

However, the pardon does not necessarily prevent other proceedings. Fauci could still face charges for conduct after the date covered by the pardon, and he could also be exposed to state or local charges not covered by the federal protection.

Committee Procedure and Past Contempt Cases

Paul, who led the Republican side of the committee, bypassed a full Senate vote on the contempt resolution, saying he did not want to “waste time” running through the wider procedure.

Normally, contempt resolutions advanced by a committee go to the full Senate, where they require a 60-vote majority to move forward. Republicans hold 53 seats in the 100-member Senate.

Fauci’s lawyer, David Schertler, previously told CBS, the BBC’s US partner, that Fauci was on “solid legal ground” in asserting his Fifth Amendment privilege, and he said taking the step does not amount to an admission of guilt. Contempt prosecutions, and resulting convictions, are rare.

In 2024, former Trump allies Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro were convicted of contempt and sentenced to jail terms, the first such convictions since the 1980s.

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7 August 2026

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So let’s just take a peek at this in a simple layperson’s perspective.seems to me we are attacking a lifelong public servant who spent his life saving others.meanwhile we are letting the leader who in full knowledge of the consequences botched the response to and willfully held superspreader events during that deadly pandemic and willfully undermined safety protocols……..this is so ass backwards infact in my view that term (ass backwards) would be a good description for this entire administration.This republican majority is a cowardly pathetic bunch.

A classic example of the process being abused as a punishment.

4 minutes ago, JAG said:

A classic example of the process being abused as a punishment.

Punishment of the innocent !

As much as I'd love to see Fauci spend the rest of his life in prison. bad call by Paul, and respect level just went way down for playing politics.

The 5th is a Constitutional right affored to ... everyone. So F'off.

Better to just not attend, as that's only a misdemeanor, not that being held in contempt will do anything. Just wanting a headline is an embarrassing move for Paul.

Edited August 7Aug 7 by KhunLA

Where are all the No Kings types now? Not a peep.

The evil doctor was playing King ordering people how to live their lives.

20 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

As much as I'd love to see Fauci spend the rest of his life in prison. bad call by Rand, and respect level just went way down for playing politics.

The 5th is a Constitutional right affored to ... everyone. So F'off.

Better to just not attend, as that's only a misdemeanor, not that being held in contempt will do anything. Just wanting a headline is an embarrassing move for Rand.

If Fauci had not turned up, like Steve Bannon, he could be held in contempt still.

Bannon went to jail for 4 months I think.

Aaron Rodgers was correct to call him out as a coward. Mr. Science refuses to answer any questions. Thuggish behavior. I always suspected the man was a tool, and a shrill for big pharma. Lock him up.

Fauci will just ignore those clowns and the clown show that they put up. The contempt is non judicial and not a legal conviction.

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The committee hearing took place against ongoing public debate in the US over the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic.

There is no "ongoing public debate", other than among a small number of politicians who are trying to deflect attention from ongoing public health disasters in the US (and, as always, from the Epstein files).

16 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Aaron Rodgers was correct to call him out as a coward.

Football quarterback vs. world-renowned epidemiologist - yeah, hard to know who to trust on health issues 🙄

To me it comes down to Fauci did his best to distance himself from the f-ups at Wuhan labs. He funded them for a research program that went pear shaped and killed millions. His crime was his claim that he (USA) had nothing to do with Wuhan. He lied.

Edited August 7Aug 7 by AustinRacing

32 minutes ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

If Fauci had not turned up, like Steve Bannon, he could be held in contempt still.

Bannon went to jail for 4 months I think.

He refused to provide documents requested, besides simply not showing up. Dismissed on appeal.

34 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

Fauci will just ignore those clowns and the clown show that they put up. The contempt is non judicial and not a legal conviction.

But not in the eyes of Randy Paul and his vengeful boss!

48 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

Fauci will just ignore those clowns and the clown show that they put up. The contempt is non judicial and not a legal conviction.

Good for him. It's disgraceful how someone who has saved millions of lives is being hounded.

I say arrest Dr F after they arrest Jim Jordan for contempt regarding no show to Jan 6 committee. At Least Fauci showed up for his abuse

57 minutes ago, khunjeff said:

There is no "ongoing public debate", other than among a small number of politicians who are trying to deflect attention from ongoing public health disasters in the US (and, as always, from the Epstein files).

Football quarterback vs. world-renowned epidemiologist - yeah, hard to know who to trust on health issues 🙄

I know who to trust and it's definitely not Dr. Fauci. But then again I was born with a tendency to disbelieve government narratives, which is a blessing and I think quite a healthy tendency.

Speaking out against the commonly held narrative is always a gutsy thing to do.

Fun fact: The ultimate responsibility for the U.S. federal government’s first-year COVID-19 response rested with President Donald Trump.

Fauci was a government-employed scientific advisor who could recommend policies but had no authority to make federal executive decisions.

If thousands died unnecessarily because political decisions overrode medical advice, responsibility lies with the officials who had the power to make those choices.

A doctor can recommend the treatment — the client makes the final decision and owns the outcome.

2 hours ago, AustinRacing said:

To me it comes down to Fauci did his best to distance himself from the f-ups at Wuhan labs. He funded them for a research program that went pear shaped and killed millions. His crime was his claim that he (USA) had nothing to do with Wuhan. He lied.

"He funded them for a research program that went pear shaped and killed millions."

Oh the ridiculous lie! 😀

Edited August 7Aug 7 by candide

What about the time Trump invoked the 5 th 440 times in one deposition

that was August 10th 2022 in New York,

regards worgeordie

9 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

What about the time Trump invoked the 5 th 440 times in one deposition

that was August 10th 2022 in New York,

That was a deposition for a civil case.

7 hours ago, Tug said:

So let’s just take a peek at this in a simple layperson’s perspective.seems to me we are attacking a lifelong public servant who spent his life saving others.meanwhile we are letting the leader who in full knowledge of the consequences botched the response to and willfully held superspreader events during that deadly pandemic and willfully undermined safety protocols……..this is so ass backwards infact in my view that term (ass backwards) would be a good description for this entire administration.This republican majority is a cowardly pathetic bunch.

A morally degenerate pack of terrified apparatchiks, all trying to get their tongues as far up between Trump's buttocks as they can to be first at the really spicy bit.

A sickening display of a country transitioning rapidly and deeply into a Putinesqe dystopia from which return will be almost impossible without something drastic like a lost war. You've really been losing your way since 9-11. Now you're lost beyond recall no matter what happens to the mid-terms. These swine have been engineering this from the bottom up for decades. And the dupes have voted for it for 'FREE-DUMB!''

It was truly stomach churning to watch that barbaric swine of a senator, Moreno - a bloody senator no less! - subjecting Fauci to a howling barrage of insults and abuse that are matched in my observation only by 'People's Court Judge' Roland Freisler screaming at accused resistance fighters in Nazi Germany.

You should as a nation all be F.....G DEEPLY ASHAMED. You should be groveling to apologize to the world for your behavior over the last two years. Never mind to your own citizens whose trust has been totally betrayed.

Beware anyone who defends this barbarity.

Edited August 7Aug 7 by BusyB
Needed to add a comma

35 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

What about the time Trump invoked the 5 th 440 times in one deposition

that was August 10th 2022 in New York,

regards worgeordie

Something also publicly known when the 77 million voted for him.

Never mind the dog and cat eaters.

America has absolutely no excuse.

This was all well known and publicized. From the sexual harassment, Epstein and the dressing rooms at the model shows, the fraud, the unpaid bills, the bankruptcies, the incessant gush of lies literally every single time he opens his Holland Tunnel of a polluted, loud, stinking gob.

Every single American either voted for this, or allowed it, or promotes it even to this day.

Beware anyone who defends it.

1 hour ago, LosLobo said:

Fun fact: The ultimate responsibility for the U.S. federal government’s first-year COVID-19 response rested with President Donald Trump.

Fauci was a government-employed scientific advisor who could recommend policies but had no authority to make federal executive decisions.

If thousands died unnecessarily because political decisions overrode medical advice, responsibility lies with the officials who had the power to make those choices.

A doctor can recommend the treatment — the client makes the final decision and owns the outcome.

Oh you naughty thing. Confusing them with facts and logic like that. You little terror.

2 hours ago, LosLobo said:

A doctor can recommend the treatment — the client makes the final decision and owns the outcome.

You seem to have forgotten about the mandatory bits of the 'Covid' debacle.

16 minutes ago, BusyB said:

Oh you naughty thing. Confusing them with facts and logic like that. You little terror.

Another fun fact about why we are here:
Trump is in the Epstein Files.
Fauci is not.

Edited August 7Aug 7 by LosLobo

Its an issue to galvanize the MAGA base right before an election.

https://www.reddit.com/r/askanything/s/PvpEiFzSOW

35 minutes ago, johng said:

You seem to have forgotten about the mandatory bits of the 'Covid' debacle.

You seem to have forgotten the forum rule about selecting only parts of a post while ignoring the full context.

34 minutes ago, johng said:

You seem to have forgotten about the mandatory bits of the 'Covid' debacle.

Yea responsible leaders do demand compliance when the virus was KILLING FOUR THOUSAND effin AMERICANS each and EVERY day during its peak……remember the meat wagons parked behind the hospitals?……

2 hours ago, candide said:

"He funded them for a research program that went pear shaped and killed millions."

Oh the ridiculous lie! 😀

Why have you got your knickers twisted in this matter. Biden preemptively pardoned him before any of this came to surface. Why? He knew something that you obviously still don’t. Watch his deposition tape.

41 minutes ago, AustinRacing said:

Why have you got your knickers twisted in this matter. Biden preemptively pardoned him before any of this came to surface. Why? He knew something that you obviously still don’t. Watch his deposition tape.

The real question is why did you post the lie that the US research program caused the Covid pandemic? 😃