Politics · ArchiveSENATE TO VOTE ON FAUCI CONTEMPT AFTER FIFTH INVOCATIONSAired July 29, 2026 at 10:19 PM UTCWritten September 7, 2026 at 9:22 PM UTCRead the write-upThis storyTranscript · LOADING0:00The Senate Homeland Security Committee0:01will vote next week on holding Dr.0:03Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress.0:06The decision follows a contentious July0:0829th hearing where Fauci invoked the0:10Fifth Amendment nearly 100 times. Fauci0:13refused to answer any of the committee's0:14questions, citing the Fifth Amendment on0:16advice of counsel.0:18While Fauci's legal strategy rests on0:20avoiding perjury, the committee chair0:22insists the president's pardon offers no0:24protection from contempt, and the0:25fallout is being felt far beyond the0:27hearing room. Scientists working with0:29dangerous pathogens say they now feel0:31targeted, and an 80-year-old aide was0:33arrested and stripped to his underwear.0:34Rand Paul, who led the questioning,0:37pressed Fauci on funding for research in0:39Wuhan, accusing him of involvement in0:40the pandemic's origins. Fauci maintained0:43his silence, while KFF Health News0:45Correspondent Arthur Allen documented0:47the atmosphere of intimidation facing0:48scientists. The committee is set to vote0:50on contempt on August 5th, a move that0:53could lead to criminal referral, even if0:55actual prosecution remains unlikely.0:58Allen noted that while a successful1:00prosecution is unlikely, the charges1:02could still be brought, adding to the1:04legal pressure on the former NIAID1:06director and the scientific community at1:08large.Explore with HeyDexThe shortThe short ↗