On Thursday, August 6th, 2026, a Republican-controlled US Senate committee voted to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress following his repeated refusal to answer questions during a hearing on the government's Covid-19 response. Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), who led the agency for 38 years before retiring in 2022, invoked his Fifth Amendment rights dozens of times to avoid answering inquiries.

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, chaired by Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, approved a referral to the US Department of Justice for a potential criminal case against Fauci. Fauci accused Paul of having an "unhinged obsession" with him and suggested the senator aimed to "embarrass and intimidate" him and potentially imprison him due to his role in advocating pandemic restrictions such as masking and social distancing.

Paul denied attempting to entrap Fauci, stating during the hearing, "He had no liability if he told the truth."

The evening before the vote, the US Department of Health and Human Services provided a copy of Fauci's phone to a Senate subcommittee. Republican Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, chair of the subcommittee, expressed hope that the device would answer many of the questions Fauci declined to address during the hearing.

While the committee's contempt referral requires approval by the full Senate, this would likely need a 60-vote majority, necessitating Democratic support. Critics, including Peters, described Paul's investigation as "one-sided and rushed," warning it could harm future investigative processes.

Fauci, 85, was pardoned by President Joe Biden at the end of his presidency.

Sources