On Thursday morning, August 6, 2026, the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee voted 8 to 7 to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress. The vote was strictly along party lines, with all Republicans voting in favor and all Democrats opposed.

The committee, chaired by Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, took the action following Fauci's testimony on July 29, during which he invoked his Fifth Amendment rights over 100 times in response to questions posed by Paul. Fauci stated, “On advice of counsel I respectfully decline to answer based upon my rights under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution.”

Senator Paul emphasized that while votes to hold witnesses in contempt should be rare, it is Congress's constitutional duty to oversee the executive branch, particularly when a witness has been granted a sweeping pardon. Paul stated, "Accountability is what stands between the American people and a repeat of the mistakes and the very real consequences of the past."

Democrats on the committee acknowledged the need for an investigation into past mistakes but argued that the inquiry had disproportionately focused on one individual. Paul countered that no Democrat on the committee had utilized the internal software to review the investigation's documents, suggesting a lack of engagement with the evidence.

The committee's vote followed an 8-5 decision within Rand Paul's Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, reflecting ongoing partisan divisions over the investigation and Fauci's testimony.

Sources