Senate Republicans vote to hold Fauci in contempt after Fifth Amendment testimony

A US Senate committee has voted to hold former health official Dr Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after he repeatedly refused to answer questions during a hearing on the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs approved the resolution on Thursday in a party-line vote, referring the matter to the US Department of Justice for possible prosecution.

The vote came a week after Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination more than 100 times during testimony before the committee.

Committee chairman Senator Rand Paul argued that Fauci was not at risk of federal prosecution because he had received a pardon from former President Joe Biden.

“Dr. Fauci faced no risk of federal prosecution. All he had to do was tell the truth,” Paul said.

“We are voting on whether a witness who has received the benefit of a sweeping pardon can be ordered by this committee to answer questions and then defy that order without consequence,” Paul added.

Fauci defended his decision in a statement, saying he feared criminal prosecution because of Paul's efforts to investigate him.

The referral will now go to the US Attorney's Office in Washington, which will decide whether to investigate or pursue contempt charges.