Dr. Anthony Fauci invokes the Fifth Amendment repeatedly in testimony before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and declines to answer questions about the origins of COVID-19 and the federal response.The refusal follows sustained attacks by Senator Rand Paul and comes after a broad pardon from President Joe Biden that covers Dr. Anthony Fauci’s government service from January 2014 through January 2025, creating legal uncertainty about federal prosecution and possible state charges.Senate Republicans led by Senator
Rand Paul and including Senator
Josh Hawley say they will pursue a contempt of Congress resolution that could be referred to the
Justice Department while legal experts debate whether the pardon removes a realistic threat that justifies invoking the
Fifth Amendment.