Republican Kentucky Senator Rand Paul introduced a resolution on Tuesday, August 4th, 2026, to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress. This move follows Fauci's testimony before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) on July 29th, during which he repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment rights in response to a wide range of questions.

Fauci, compelled to testify under subpoena, declined to answer questions about alleged lies under oath concerning gain-of-function research in Wuhan, China, the relationship between the National Institutes of Health and the intelligence community, and his advocacy for high-risk virology research. He also refused to answer seemingly simple questions, such as whether he had a red folder in front of him, the day of the week, and the color of his tie. In total, Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment over 100 times, stating, “On advice of counsel I respectfully decline to answer based upon my rights under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution.”

The resolution introduced by Paul argues that Fauci's invocation of the Fifth Amendment is unsupported because he received a "full and unconditional pardon" for any crimes committed during a certain period. It also claims Fauci forfeited his right to invoke the Fifth Amendment by delivering a brief opening statement at the hearing.

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is scheduled to vote on Thursday, August 6th, 2026, on whether to hold Fauci in contempt, according to an agenda posted on the HSGAC website.

Sources