By Ahmed Aboulenein
WASHINGTON, Aug 6 (Reuters) - A U.S. Senate committee voted on Thursday to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after the former top U.S. infectious disease official refused to answer questions about his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee approved a referral pushed by its Republican Chair Rand Paul of Kentucky, a longtime Fauci antagonist. The vote followed a hearing last week where Fauci, who is 85 and retired in 2022,
invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times.
Fauci, who led the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for 38 years, became the face of the U.S. pandemic response and a primary target of anger over measures taken against a virus that killed more than 1.1 million Americans.
President Donald Trump and many conservatives criticized him over lockdowns, mask and social-distancing guidance, and his promotion of vaccines, which became heavily politicized despite being shown safe and effective. Fauci and public health officials worldwide backed the measures based on scientific evidence available at the time.
Former President Joe Biden preemptively pardoned him in January 2025, to guard against "unjustified and politically motivated prosecutions" related to COVID or his role in the response. The pardon does not cover subsequent conduct.
Paul said Fauci had no valid Fifth Amendment claim because the pardon nullified it and because Fauci waived any remaining protection by testifying.
Fauci told the panel Paul had summoned him only to force testimony backing the senator's repeated public pledges to see him imprisoned.
A representative for Fauci could not immediately be reached for comment.
A contempt referral typically must be approved by a congressional committee and then the full Senate, which would likely need a 60-vote majority, requiring Democratic support, highly unlikely given the party's defense of Fauci.
But Paul has suggested that vote may be unnecessary, telling Fox News he could send the referral directly to the Justice Department with a legal brief.
Paul's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
If the referral proceeds, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, run by Trump ally Jeanine Pirro, would review it and decide whether to seek a grand jury indictment.
Fauci also faces state-level scrutiny, with Louisiana joining Florida and Alabama in investigating his pandemic conduct. A federal pardon does not preclude state charges.
(Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
