Fauci faces contempt vote after invoking Fifth Amendment in Senate hearing
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Fauci testifies during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing Wednesday. Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Anthony Fauci, who led the nation's infectious disease efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, invoked the Fifth Amendment on Wednesday and declined to answer questions from a Senate committee investigating the origins of the coronavirus.
- Homeland Security Chair Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said the committee will vote on a contempt resolution against Fauci next week.
Why it matters: Fauci said Paul was trying to get him to say something that could put him in legal jeopardy. Paul said his use of the Fifth Amendment was "unsupported" since former President Biden preemptively pardoned Fauci before leaving office.
- Fauci argues he could be in trouble if he makes any statements that could open new lines of investigation for the committee.
What he's saying: Paul has an "unhinged obsession with me," and his motive for the hearing is to "get me to say something — anything — that could vindicate his repeated public pledges that I end up, in his words, quote, behind bars, unquote," Fauci said.
- "Although it pains me to do so … under the advice of my attorneys, I will invoke my right under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution to refrain from answering your questions," Fauci said.
The other side: "There will be repercussions to your refusal to testify today," Paul warned Fauci.
- He said Fauci was citing "a privilege that is unsupported because of his blanket pardon."
- Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) told Fauci he wasn't surprised the former top infectious disease expert was taking the Fifth: "I think it would be almost impossible for you to answer the questions truthfully without really demonstrating what you did."
Paul asked Fauci about "dangerous" research he says the government funded in China (which Fauci has disputed in the past), as well as "gain-of-function" research Paul says was conducted on monkeypox at Fort Detrick, an Army installation in Frederick, Maryland.
- Fauci refused to answer the questions. The gain-of-function research has been a primary focus for those who believe COVID spread because of a lab leak.
- Paul also ordered Fauci's lawyer removed from the committee room for trying to speak.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said the hearing is part of a "campaign against science" that "has made this country less safe."
- "If there are valid scientific questions about the origins of this pandemic … they should certainly be addressed, but not in a show trial, not as part of a continuing vendetta against a single individual," Blumenthal said.
Go deeper: The most fiery moments from Fauci's Senate hearing
This story has been updated with more details from the hearing and with the scheduled contempt vote against Fauci.
