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Senate Republicans Vote to Hold Anthony Fauci in Contempt of Congress for Invoking Fifth Amendment Rights

A Senate committee has voted to hold Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after he repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination during a hearing on the COVID-19 pandemic. The committee, led by Kentucky Republican Rand Paul, moved to refer the case to the Justice Department for potential prosecution. Rand Paul argued that the pre-emptive pardon granted to Fauci by former President Joe Biden should have allowed him to answer questions without fear of prosecution. However, Fauci and his lawyer, David Schertler, maintained that the contempt resolution is a politically motivated stunt. Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times, citing a concern that the administration's health officials were trying to coerce him into perjury. While Democrats, including Michigan Senator Gary Peters, defended Fauci and criticized the investigation as a rushed campaign, Republicans continue to push for accountability regarding the pandemic's origins and the research funded by the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

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