Senate panel votes to hold Fauci in contempt, sends DOJ referral
What's next: The U.S. attorney in Washington will decide whether to pursue a misdemeanor case that can carry up to 12 months in jail.
A Senate committee led by Sen. Rand Paul voted Thursday to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress and sent a criminal referral to the Justice Department after Fauci refused to answer questions at a hearing on the U.S. pandemic response. Republicans on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee backed the measure on a party-line vote after Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times last week. Paul argued a pardon issued by former President Joe Biden undercut Fauci’s claim of federal legal risk. Democrats called the move unprecedented and said Paul sidestepped a full Senate vote that likely lacked 60 votes. Fauci’s lawyer, David Schertler, called the action a political stunt. A DOJ spokesperson said the department received the referral and is reviewing it.