Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) is following through on his threat to hold former infectious diseases official Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress.

This comes after a July 29 hearing in which Fauci repeatedly refused to answer questions and chose to plead his Fifth Amendment rights over 100 times.

From Fox News:

BREAKING: Sen. Rand Paul is moving to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment over a hundred times during last week's Senate hearing.

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is set to vote Thursday morning on Paul's contempt resolution, which says Fauci refused to answer questions despite being under subpoena.

Paul argues Fauci's Fifth Amendment protections no longer applied because of his presidential pardon and that Fauci also waived any remaining privilege by delivering opening testimony.

Fauci refused to answer anyway, which Paul says amounts to obstruction of a congressional investigation.

Former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci appeared under subpoena before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on July 29, 2026, and invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination more than 100 times while declining to answer questions about COVID-19 origins and related issues.

The former official accused Sen. Paul of engaging in an “unhinged” campaign to see him imprisoned. In his opening statement Fauci said, “The only conclusion I can reach is that the sole reason he is calling me before this committee is to get me to say something – anything – that could vindicate his repeated public pledges that I end up, in his words, ‘behind bars.’”

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After the hearing, Republicans went scorched earth on Fauci over his refusal to answer questions. They pressed for accountability and potential criminal consequences during and after the hearing. 

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), told Fauci, “You don't have any rights under the Fifth Amendment because you've been pardoned.” “You know that. Your lawyer is sitting behind you now, shifting nervously in their chairs. They know it. This isn't about the Constitution. This isn’t about the law.” 

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., said Fauci “should be locked up before he leaves this building today.”

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is set to vote on the contempt resolution in the coming days. If it passes the committee, it will move to the Senate floor. If the upper chamber approves the resolution, it could lead to a referral to the Justice Department for prosecution.