Victoria
US Senate panel votes to hold Anthony Fauci in contempt
A United States Senate committee has voted to hold Dr Anthony Fauci in contempt after he repeatedly declined to answer questions.
A United States Senate panel has voted to hold Dr Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress following a tense hearing last week regarding the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to a wire report, the decision by the committee follows Dr Fauci's repeated refusal to answer questions during his appearance before lawmakers. During the session, the former chief medical adviser to the US President invoked his constitutional rights on numerous occasions.
Dr Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination more than 100 times when he appeared before the US Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. The committee had sought his testimony as part of its ongoing inquiries into decisions made during the pandemic.
The Fifth Amendment of the US Constitution protects witnesses from being forced to provide testimony that could be self-incriminating. Dr Fauci's decision to repeatedly shield his answers under this provision drew immediate criticism from committee members, culminating in the vote to hold him in contempt.
Details on the next steps for the contempt resolution, including whether it will be referred to the full Senate for a vote or lead to criminal charges, have not yet been fully detailed. It is also unclear what specific questions prompted Dr Fauci to repeatedly invoke the Fifth Amendment.
The move marks a significant escalation in the ongoing political scrutiny surrounding the early administration of the pandemic in the United States. Dr Fauci has previously defended his record and the scientific consensus of his agency during his long career in public service.
Observers will now watch to see whether the full US Senate will vote on the contempt citation.
This report draws on original reporting by Wire report.
Dedicated to a Stronger Victoria.
A message from the editor, August
Every story here is free to read. Only readers keep it that way.
We take no government money, run no paywall, and answer to nobody in Spring Street. That independence is paid for by a small number of readers, not the many who benefit from it. If just one in a hundred of today's readers gave $8 a month, our Victorian politics coverage would be funded for the year.
- Funds reporting, not shareholders
- Cancel in one click, anytime
- Supporter badge and reply access
Prefer a one-off? Send a tip. It takes about twenty seconds.