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Senate Committee Votes to Hold Anthony Fauci in Contempt of Congress

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted to hold Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after the former health official refused to answer numerous questions during a recent hearing regarding his role in the COVID-19 pandemic response. Anthony Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination more than 100 times, a move that frustrated Republican lawmakers who had publicly stated their intent to prosecute him for perjury. Committee Chairman Rand Paul argued that the preemptive pardon granted to Anthony Fauci by President Joe Biden should have removed the risk of prosecution, making the use of the Fifth Amendment unnecessary. Conversely, Anthony Fauci and his supporters argued that the decision to plead the Fifth was a necessary precaution against the committee's clear desire to find inconsistencies in his testimony. Following the vote, the administration announced that the committee will bypass a traditional full Senate vote and send the contempt referral directly to the Department of Justice. The Justice Department will then determine whether to pursue formal criminal charges against the retired scientist.

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