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 "aye" and all Democrats voting "nay."

The committee, chaired by Republican Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, took this action after Fauci invoked his rights under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution more than 100 times during a July 29 Senate hearing. Fauci repeatedly responded to questions from Paul by stating, "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, especially when a witness has received a sweeping pardon. He 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 reluctance to confront the full scope of the evidence.

The vote followed an 8-5 decision by Rand Paul's Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, underscoring the partisan divide over the investigation and Fauci's testimony.

Sources