Senate panel votes to hold Dr. Fauci in contempt, testing new Attorney General

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, split along party lines, approved an 8-5 contempt resolution against Dr. Anthony Fauci after he answered every question with a Fifth Amendment claim, totaling 2,331 words. Republicans contend that Fauci’s pardon does not shield him from congressional inquiry, while Democrats claim the tactic is a partisan ploy to create prosecutable statements. Chairman Rand Paul announced plans to send the referral directly to the Justice Department and pursue the case in the District of Columbia court, bypassing the usual full-Senate vote.

The Justice Department has said it reviews congressional referrals seriously, but legal experts doubt the likelihood of a successful prosecution. The decision now rests with newly confirmed Attorney General Todd Blanche, whose actions will signal how the administration handles politically charged contempt cases.