A Republican-led US Senate committee on Thursday (August 06) approved a motion to hold former top infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after he refused to answer questions during a hearing on the Covid-19 pandemic.&nbsp;Fauci, 85, invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination during his appearance before the Senate Homeland Security Committee last week. His lawyers advised him not to respond to questions from Republican lawmakers.&nbsp;The committee questioned Fauci over allegations that information related to the origins of the Covid 19 pandemic had been concealed. Fauci declined to answer, citing his constitutional rights.&nbsp;Ahead of the hearing, committee chairman Senator Rand Paul released thousands of pages from Fauci's personal diary.&nbsp;Fauci later said his legal team believed the questioning was designed to draw him into statements that could expose him to perjury charges. Based on that advice, he chose to remain silent throughout the hearing.<h2>Contempt recommendation heads to Justice Department</h2>The contempt recommendation was approved along party lines following an initiative led by Rand Paul, who had earlier subpoenaed Fauci to testify. Paul said he plans to forward the committee's recommendation directly to the Justice Department, which will decide whether to take further action.&nbsp;The move departs from the usual process, under which contempt resolutions are generally considered by the full Senate before being referred further. The decision could raise legal and political questions for President Donald Trump's administration.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pm-modi-s-foreign-visits-cost-74-59-crore-in-2026-till-july-2025-recorded-highest-spending-1786014940930">PM Modi's foreign visits cost ₹74.59 crore in 2026 till July; 2025 recorded highest spending</a><h2>Democrats slam committee's decision</h2>Democratic lawmakers on the panel opposed the contempt vote and questioned the way the investigation had been conducted.&nbsp;Senator Gary Peters described it as a "rushed investigation."&nbsp;He said the vote could “harm our ability to conduct future investigations and disregards constitutional protections long recognised by the US Senate, all without making a reliable case that there is a legal basis for holding Dr Fauci in contempt.”&nbsp;The hearing marked another chapter in the long-running dispute between Fauci and Rand Paul over the origins of Covid-19. Paul has repeatedly alleged, without substantiated evidence, that the pandemic originated in a laboratory and that its origins were concealed.

A Republican led US Senate committee voted to recommend contempt proceedings against former infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci after he invoked his Fifth Amendment right during a hearing on the origins of the Covid 19 pandemic.

A Republican-led US Senate committee on Thursday (August 06) approved a motion to hold former top infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after he refused to answer questions during a hearing on the Covid-19 pandemic. Fauci, 85, invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination during his appearance before the Senate Homeland Security Committee last week. His lawyers advised him not to respond to questions from Republican lawmakers. The committee questioned Fauci over allegations that information related to the origins of the Covid 19 pandemic had been concealed. Fauci declined to answer, citing his constitutional rights. Ahead of the hearing, committee chairman Senator Rand Paul released thousands of pages from Fauci's personal diary. Fauci later said his legal team believed the questioning was designed to draw him into statements that could expose him to perjury charges. Based on that advice, he chose to remain silent throughout the hearing. Contempt recommendation heads to Justice Department The contempt recommendation was approved along party lines following an initiative led by Rand Paul, who had earlier subpoenaed Fauci to testify. Paul said he plans to forward the committee's recommendation directly to the Justice Department, which will decide whether to take further action. The move departs from the usual process, under which contempt resolutions are generally considered by the full Senate before being referred further. The decision could raise legal and political questions for President Donald Trump's administration. Also Read: PM Modi's foreign visits cost ₹74.59 crore in 2026 till July; 2025 recorded highest spending Democrats slam committee's decision Democratic lawmakers on the panel opposed the contempt vote and questioned the way the investigation had been conducted. Senator Gary Peters described it as a "rushed investigation." He said the vote could “harm our ability to conduct future investigations and disregards constitutional protections long recognised by the US Senate, all without making a reliable case that there is a legal basis for holding Dr Fauci in contempt.” The hearing marked another chapter in the long-running dispute between Fauci and Rand Paul over the origins of Covid-19. Paul has repeatedly alleged, without substantiated evidence, that the pandemic originated in a laboratory and that its origins were concealed.

A Republican-led US Senate committee voted to recommend contempt proceedings against former infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci after he invoked his Fifth Amendment right during a hearing on the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic.

US Senate panel recommends contempt action against Anthony Fauci over Covid hearing

Former NIAID Director Anthony Fauci declined to answer questions at a Senate hearing on Wednesday (Jul 29), pleading the Fifth more than 100 times despite being told that he did not have that right given his current legal status. Fauci repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment right, which protects an individual against self-incrimination. However, a moment from the hearing went viral on social media after Fauci pleaded the Fifth when asked basic facts like what day it is or the colour of his tie.When Senator Josh Hawley got visibly irritated by Fauci’s repeated invoking of the Fifth Amendment, he began testing his invocations.“Let’s try something,” he said.“What day of the week is it today?” Hawley asked, to which Fauci replied that he pleads the Fifth.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-claims-us-strikes-against-pro-iran-militias-in-iraq-were-coordinated-with-baghdad-1785394774515">Trump claims US-Saudi strikes against pro-Iran militias in Iraq were coordinated with Baghdad</a>Hawley then asked him what colour his tie was, and what the colour of the carpet was. Fauci pleaded the Fifth for both simple questions, refusing to answer anything.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨New: Dr. Fauci decided to invoke the Fifth after Senator Josh Hawley (<a href="https://x.com/HawleyMO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HawleyMO</a>) asked him what day of the week was it <a href="https://t.co/Te8JVOsLAL">pic.twitter.com/Te8JVOsLAL</a>&mdash; The Calvin Coolidge Project (@TheCalvinCooli1) <a href="https://x.com/TheCalvinCooli1/status/2082488048395137145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 29, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Fauci denied to answer despite Republican Senator Rand Paul warning of consequences for his refusal to answer, given he was not allowed to plead the Fifth Amendment right to prevent him from answering senators’ questions and that a pardon from former president Joe Biden would not protect him.“Let’s just get one thing straight. You don’t have any rights under the Fifth Amendment because you’ve been pardoned, as you very well know,” Hawley said, invoking the 1896 Brown v. Walker case. He added, “This isn’t about the law. This is about contempt, contempt for this body and contempt for the American people.”Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-is-jay-clayton-wall-street-lawyer-chosen-as-trump-s-new-intelligence-chief-1785321613989">Who is Jay Clayton? Wall Street lawyer chosen as Trump’s new intelligence chief</a>The senator said, “But I think I know why you’re doing it. It’s because you don’t want to answer questions. It’s because you did all kinds of terrible things. It’s because during the pandemic, you got rich… while people were dying.”Senator Bernie Moreno questioned if Fauci knew what the Fifth Amendment was. When asked to recite the law, Fauci ironically again pleaded the Fifth.“No, I’m just asking you what it says,” Moreno repeated.“On the advice of counsel, I respectfully decline to answer based upon my rights under the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution,” Fauci said once more.Moreno even ordered an aide to bring a copy of the Constitution and instructed Fauci to read. The response was the same from the octogenarian immunologist.“So you’re invoking a right that you don’t know who wrote it or what it says? Is that correct?” Moreno quipped. Fauci again invoked his Fifth Amendment right. &nbsp;

Anthony Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment over 100 times during a Senate hearing, refusing to answer even basic questions, including what day it was and the colour of his tie.

Former NIAID Director Anthony Fauci declined to answer questions at a Senate hearing on Wednesday (Jul 29), pleading the Fifth more than 100 times despite being told that he did not have that right given his current legal status. Fauci repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment right, which protects an individual against self-incrimination. However, a moment from the hearing went viral on social media after Fauci pleaded the Fifth when asked basic facts like what day it is or the colour of his tie. When Senator Josh Hawley got visibly irritated by Fauci’s repeated invoking of the Fifth Amendment, he began testing his invocations. “Let’s try something,” he said. “What day of the week is it today?” Hawley asked, to which Fauci replied that he pleads the Fifth. Also read | Trump claims US-Saudi strikes against pro-Iran militias in Iraq were coordinated with Baghdad Hawley then asked him what colour his tie was, and what the colour of the carpet was. Fauci pleaded the Fifth for both simple questions, refusing to answer anything.

Anthony Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment over 100 times during a Senate hearing, refusing to answer even basic questions, including what day it was and the colour of his tie.

‘What day is it?’ Fauci pleads Fifth over 100 times, refuses to answer basic questions during Senate grilling | WATCH

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US Senate panel recommends contempt action against Anthony Fauci over Covid hearing

Fauci pleads Fifth over 100 times, refuses to answer basic questions