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· collected 2026-08-06 · by Alex Miller
Sen. Rand Paul predicts that a vote to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress for refusing to answer questions during a hearing will pass. The vote is expected to take place after the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs decides whether to bring charges against Fauci, who invoked his Fifth Amendment rights over 100 times during the hearing last week. According to Paul, if the contempt resolution passes, it will be sent directly to the Department of Justice for referral. This marks the latest development in a long-standing feud between Paul and Fauci.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-21,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Senate Republicans, led by Sen. Rand Paul, are moving to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress for refusing to answer questions about his role in the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment on Thursday morning, citing a constitutional right not to incriminate himself. If successful, Paul plans to refer the matter to the Department of Justice (DOJ). The contempt resolution was unveiled by Paul on Tuesday and will be voted on in the Senate. Paul predicts that there is a "very good chance" that they will win the vote, which would make Fauci the first person to be held in contempt for refusing to answer questions about COVID-19 since March 2020.
Written for “Contempt Vote for Fauci” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
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Leaning score +0.35 for article 599 (low confidence, 0 verified quotes) · logged 2026-08-27
Senate Republicans are readying immediate ramifications for Dr. Anthony Fauci's refusal to testify last week in the upper chamber, and the leader of the push believes the votes are there to pull it off.
asserted
votes → ready → it
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and his Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs are slated to decide whether to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress for declining to answer lawmakers’ questions after being subpoenaed to testify, and, instead, invoking the Fifth Amendment on Thursday morning.
asserted
Paul → slat → morning
"I think there is a very good chance that we will win the vote," Paul told Fox News Digital.
asserted
Paul → think → Digital
And if successful, Paul wants to get the Department of Justice (DOJ) involved swiftly.
asserted
Department → want → Justice
"The next step will be when we send the referral over directly to the Department of Justice," he said.
asserted
he → send → Justice
Paul unveiled the contempt resolution on Tuesday, which stipulated that once reported from committee, it would be sent to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.
asserted
it → unveil → Columbia
The Kentucky Republican has spent years challenging Fauci, who previously served as the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) director and played a major role in the country’s policy and messaging on COVID-19 during the pandemic.
asserted
who → spend → pandemic
He’s charged that Fauci should be thrown in prison and sought to compel him to admit that the virus sprang from a lab leak in Wuhan, China, in connection to risky research allegedly funded under his direction.
uncertain
virus → charge → direction
Last week’s hearing was meant to be the ultimate battle between the two and the pinnacle of Paul’s yearslong crusade against Fauci.
asserted
hearing → mean → Fauci
But that didn’t happen when Fauci, under advice from his lawyers, pleaded the Fifth Amendment well over 100 times during the hearing.
asserted
Fauci → happen → hearing
"Although it pains me to do so because of the respect I have for the legislative branch of government, and my decades-long record of cooperating with Congress under the advice of my attorneys, I will invoke my right under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution to refrain from answering your questions," Fauci said.
asserted
Fauci → pain → questions
Those became the last words that the former chief medical advisor to the president uttered in the hearing beyond invoking his constitutional rights.
asserted
advisor → become → rights
That prompted Paul to tee up a vote on contempt charges against him in a bid to compel Fauci to speak.
asserted
That → prompt → Fauci
The lawmaker also cast doubt on whether Fauci’s invocation of the Fifth Amendment comported with his sweeping pardon from former President Joe Biden on his way out of office.
asserted
invocation → cast → office
Biden granted Fauci a full and unconditional pardon for all actions taken between Jan. 1, 2014, and Jan. 19, 2025.
asserted
Biden → grant → Jan.
"I think there's another legal question that the courts may have to decide upon, and that is whether or not a presidential pardon offers you complete immunity," Paul said as the hearing closed.
uncertain
hearing → think → immunity
When asked to expand on the legal question looming over Fauci’s pardon, Paul declined.
asserted
Paul → ask → pardon
"It’s a good legal discussion, and we will make those legal points to DOJ in sending the referral over," Paul said.
asserted
Paul → ’ → referral
