{"id":29846,"date":"2026-08-06T13:12:39","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T08:12:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=29846"},"modified":"2026-08-06T13:12:39","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T08:12:39","slug":"senate-committee-to-vote-on-contempt-of-congress-for-fauci-npr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=29846","title":{"rendered":"Senate committee to vote on contempt of Congress for Fauci : NPR"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"storytext\">\n<div id=\"resg-s1-137521\" class=\"bucketwrap image large\">\n<div class=\"imagewrap has-source-dimensions\" data-crop-type=\"\" style=\"&#10;        --source-width: 3984;&#10;        --source-height: 2656;&#10;    \">\n        <picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3984x2656+0+0\/resize\/400\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0f%2F47%2F538b6ffe4805a6886eedc83c0dd7%2Fgettyimages-2288176213.jpg 400w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3984x2656+0+0\/resize\/600\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0f%2F47%2F538b6ffe4805a6886eedc83c0dd7%2Fgettyimages-2288176213.jpg 600w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3984x2656+0+0\/resize\/800\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0f%2F47%2F538b6ffe4805a6886eedc83c0dd7%2Fgettyimages-2288176213.jpg 800w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3984x2656+0+0\/resize\/900\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0f%2F47%2F538b6ffe4805a6886eedc83c0dd7%2Fgettyimages-2288176213.jpg 900w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3984x2656+0+0\/resize\/1200\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0f%2F47%2F538b6ffe4805a6886eedc83c0dd7%2Fgettyimages-2288176213.jpg 1200w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3984x2656+0+0\/resize\/1600\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0f%2F47%2F538b6ffe4805a6886eedc83c0dd7%2Fgettyimages-2288176213.jpg 1600w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3984x2656+0+0\/resize\/1800\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0f%2F47%2F538b6ffe4805a6886eedc83c0dd7%2Fgettyimages-2288176213.jpg 1800w\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3984x2656+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0f%2F47%2F538b6ffe4805a6886eedc83c0dd7%2Fgettyimages-2288176213.jpg\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1025px) 650px, calc(100vw - 30px)\" class=\"img\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3984x2656+0+0\/resize\/400\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0f%2F47%2F538b6ffe4805a6886eedc83c0dd7%2Fgettyimages-2288176213.jpg 400w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3984x2656+0+0\/resize\/600\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0f%2F47%2F538b6ffe4805a6886eedc83c0dd7%2Fgettyimages-2288176213.jpg 600w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3984x2656+0+0\/resize\/800\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0f%2F47%2F538b6ffe4805a6886eedc83c0dd7%2Fgettyimages-2288176213.jpg 800w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3984x2656+0+0\/resize\/900\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0f%2F47%2F538b6ffe4805a6886eedc83c0dd7%2Fgettyimages-2288176213.jpg 900w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3984x2656+0+0\/resize\/1200\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0f%2F47%2F538b6ffe4805a6886eedc83c0dd7%2Fgettyimages-2288176213.jpg 1200w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3984x2656+0+0\/resize\/1600\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0f%2F47%2F538b6ffe4805a6886eedc83c0dd7%2Fgettyimages-2288176213.jpg 1600w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3984x2656+0+0\/resize\/1800\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0f%2F47%2F538b6ffe4805a6886eedc83c0dd7%2Fgettyimages-2288176213.jpg 1800w\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3984x2656+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0f%2F47%2F538b6ffe4805a6886eedc83c0dd7%2Fgettyimages-2288176213.jpg\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1025px) 650px, calc(100vw - 30px)\" class=\"img\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3984x2656+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0f%2F47%2F538b6ffe4805a6886eedc83c0dd7%2Fgettyimages-2288176213.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3984x2656+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0f%2F47%2F538b6ffe4805a6886eedc83c0dd7%2Fgettyimages-2288176213.jpg\" class=\"img\" alt=\"Anthony Fauci sits in front of a microphone as he listens during a hearing with the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on July 29.\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/>\n        <\/picture>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credit-caption\">\n<div class=\"caption-wrap\">\n<div class=\"caption\" aria-label=\"Image caption\">\n<p>\n                Anthony Fauci, a former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, listens during a hearing with the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on July 29.<br \/>\n                <b class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><\/p>\n<p>                    Anna Moneymaker\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>                <\/b><br \/>\n                <b class=\"hide-caption\"><b>hide caption<\/b><\/b>\n            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>            <b class=\"toggle-caption\"><br \/>\n              <svg class=\"icon icon--info\"><use href=\"#icon-info\"\/><\/svg><br \/>\n              <b>toggle caption<\/b><br \/>\n            <\/b>\n    <\/div>\n<p>    <span class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><\/p>\n<p>        Anna Moneymaker\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>    <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Anthony Fauci, the 85-year-old retired health official who helped lead the U.S. government&#8217;s response to the coronavirus pandemic, faces a contempt-of-Congress vote Thursday.<\/p>\n<p>The punitive measure under consideration by the Republican-led Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee comes after he refused to answer lawmakers&#8217; questions in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/07\/29\/nx-s1-5910542\/fauci-rand-paul-diary-coronavirus-origin-lab-leak-hearing\" target=\"_blank\">hearing last week<\/a>, citing his Fifth Amendment right to avoid self-incrimination.<\/p>\n<p>In an opening statement, Fauci said that the committee chairman, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has &#8220;an unhinged obsession&#8221; with him and suggested the hearing was convened in an attempt to trick Fauci into lying under oath.<\/p>\n<aside id=\"ad-backstage-wrap\" class=\"ad-wrap backstage\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<\/aside>\n<div id=\"resnx-s1-5921383-100\" class=\"bucketwrap internallink insettwocolumn inset2col \">\n<div class=\"bucket img\">\n                  <a class=\"imagewrap\" id=\"featuredStackSquareImagenx-s1-5910542\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/07\/29\/nx-s1-5910542\/fauci-rand-paul-diary-coronavirus-origin-lab-leak-hearing\" data-metrics-ga4=\"{&quot;category&quot;:&quot;recirculation&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:&quot;story_recirculation_click&quot;,&quot;clickType&quot;:&quot;inset box&quot;,&quot;clickUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.npr.org\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/29\\\/nx-s1-5910542\\\/fauci-rand-paul-diary-coronavirus-origin-lab-leak-hearing&quot;}\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4312x4312+530+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F86%2Fa2%2F354d948b4f119e21e1bd75ae71ab%2Fgettyimages-2287493293.jpg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4312x4312+530+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F86%2Fa2%2F354d948b4f119e21e1bd75ae71ab%2Fgettyimages-2287493293.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4312x4312+530+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F86%2Fa2%2F354d948b4f119e21e1bd75ae71ab%2Fgettyimages-2287493293.jpg\" data-format=\"webp\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4312x4312+530+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F86%2Fa2%2F354d948b4f119e21e1bd75ae71ab%2Fgettyimages-2287493293.jpg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4312x4312+530+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F86%2Fa2%2F354d948b4f119e21e1bd75ae71ab%2Fgettyimages-2287493293.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4312x4312+530+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F86%2Fa2%2F354d948b4f119e21e1bd75ae71ab%2Fgettyimages-2287493293.jpg\" data-format=\"jpeg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4312x4312+530+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F86%2Fa2%2F354d948b4f119e21e1bd75ae71ab%2Fgettyimages-2287493293.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4312x4312+530+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F86%2Fa2%2F354d948b4f119e21e1bd75ae71ab%2Fgettyimages-2287493293.jpg\" data-format=\"jpeg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" alt=\"Dr. Anthony Fauci waits for the start of a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on July 29, 2026.\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><\/a>         <\/p>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKETBLOCK\" -->\n      <\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKET IMG\" -->\n   <\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"RESNX-S1-5921383-100\" CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP INTERNALLINK INSETTWOCOLUMN INSET2COL \" --><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Therefore, although it pains me to do so because of the respect I have for the legislative branch of government and my decades-long record of cooperating with Congress,&#8221; Fauci said, &#8220;under the advice of my attorneys, I will invoke my right under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution to refrain from answering your questions.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Fauci told the committee he had answered many of their questions already during previous testimony.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Fauci, the United States&#8217; leading infectious disease expert during the pandemic, has long sparred with Paul over the origins of the pandemic. In the days leading up to last week&#8217;s hearing, Paul released more than 1,000 pages of Fauci&#8217;s private diary entries, pointing to them as evidence that he masked private uncertainty about what caused the pandemic.<\/p>\n<div id=\"resg-s1-137522\" class=\"bucketwrap image large\">\n<div class=\"imagewrap has-source-dimensions\" data-crop-type=\"\" style=\"&#10;        --source-width: 2918;&#10;        --source-height: 1945;&#10;    \">\n        <picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2918x1945+0+0\/resize\/400\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F7e%2F3c%2Fd1e551144d99af146a25accd1d37%2Fgettyimages-2288140594.jpg 400w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2918x1945+0+0\/resize\/600\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F7e%2F3c%2Fd1e551144d99af146a25accd1d37%2Fgettyimages-2288140594.jpg 600w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2918x1945+0+0\/resize\/800\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F7e%2F3c%2Fd1e551144d99af146a25accd1d37%2Fgettyimages-2288140594.jpg 800w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2918x1945+0+0\/resize\/900\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F7e%2F3c%2Fd1e551144d99af146a25accd1d37%2Fgettyimages-2288140594.jpg 900w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2918x1945+0+0\/resize\/1200\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F7e%2F3c%2Fd1e551144d99af146a25accd1d37%2Fgettyimages-2288140594.jpg 1200w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2918x1945+0+0\/resize\/1600\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F7e%2F3c%2Fd1e551144d99af146a25accd1d37%2Fgettyimages-2288140594.jpg 1600w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2918x1945+0+0\/resize\/1800\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F7e%2F3c%2Fd1e551144d99af146a25accd1d37%2Fgettyimages-2288140594.jpg 1800w\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2918x1945+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F7e%2F3c%2Fd1e551144d99af146a25accd1d37%2Fgettyimages-2288140594.jpg\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1025px) 650px, calc(100vw - 30px)\" class=\"img\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2918x1945+0+0\/resize\/400\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F7e%2F3c%2Fd1e551144d99af146a25accd1d37%2Fgettyimages-2288140594.jpg 400w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2918x1945+0+0\/resize\/600\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F7e%2F3c%2Fd1e551144d99af146a25accd1d37%2Fgettyimages-2288140594.jpg 600w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2918x1945+0+0\/resize\/800\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F7e%2F3c%2Fd1e551144d99af146a25accd1d37%2Fgettyimages-2288140594.jpg 800w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2918x1945+0+0\/resize\/900\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F7e%2F3c%2Fd1e551144d99af146a25accd1d37%2Fgettyimages-2288140594.jpg 900w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2918x1945+0+0\/resize\/1200\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F7e%2F3c%2Fd1e551144d99af146a25accd1d37%2Fgettyimages-2288140594.jpg 1200w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2918x1945+0+0\/resize\/1600\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F7e%2F3c%2Fd1e551144d99af146a25accd1d37%2Fgettyimages-2288140594.jpg 1600w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2918x1945+0+0\/resize\/1800\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F7e%2F3c%2Fd1e551144d99af146a25accd1d37%2Fgettyimages-2288140594.jpg 1800w\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2918x1945+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F7e%2F3c%2Fd1e551144d99af146a25accd1d37%2Fgettyimages-2288140594.jpg\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1025px) 650px, calc(100vw - 30px)\" class=\"img\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2918x1945+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F7e%2F3c%2Fd1e551144d99af146a25accd1d37%2Fgettyimages-2288140594.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2918x1945+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F7e%2F3c%2Fd1e551144d99af146a25accd1d37%2Fgettyimages-2288140594.jpg\" class=\"img\" alt=\"Sen. Rand Paul sits in front of a microphone as he delivers his opening statement at a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on July 29.\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n        <\/picture>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credit-caption\">\n<div class=\"caption-wrap\">\n<div class=\"caption\" aria-label=\"Image caption\">\n<p>\n                Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., delivers his opening statement as Fauci testifies before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on July 29.<br \/>\n                <b class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><\/p>\n<p>                    Anna Moneymaker\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>                <\/b><br \/>\n                <b class=\"hide-caption\"><b>hide caption<\/b><\/b>\n            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>            <b class=\"toggle-caption\"><br \/>\n              <svg class=\"icon icon--info\"><use href=\"#icon-info\"\/><\/svg><br \/>\n              <b>toggle caption<\/b><br \/>\n            <\/b>\n    <\/div>\n<p>    <span class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><\/p>\n<p>        Anna Moneymaker\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>    <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>During that hearing, Paul indicated that Fauci shouldn&#8217;t be concerned about testifying, given his immunity from prosecution over pandemic-era conduct. That immunity stems from a pardon that Fauci received from President Joe Biden for conduct between 2014 and January 2025 \u2014 a pardon that the then-president described as &#8220;preemptive&#8221; given Republican scrutiny of Fauci.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2025\/01\/20\/nx-s1-5268258\/biden-pardons-fauci-milley-and-members-of-jan-6-panel\" target=\"_blank\">2025 pardon<\/a> wouldn&#8217;t protect Fauci from any prosecution stemming from conduct after that date, including any remarks made during present-day congressional testimony.<\/p>\n<p>If Republicans do vote to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress, the Justice Department will then decide whether to pursue a criminal prosecution. While prosecutions are rare, two former Trump advisers \u2014 Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro \u2014 were imprisoned on contempt-of-Congress charges during the Biden administration. <\/p>\n<aside id=\"ad-secondary-wrap\" class=\"ad-wrap secondary\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<\/aside>\n<aside id=\"mid-story-recommendations-mount-piano\" class=\"mid-story-recommendations-mount-piano\" aria-label=\"recommended stories\"\/>\n<!-- END ID=\"MID-STORY-RECOMMENDATIONS-MOUNT-PIANO\" CLASS=\"MID-STORY-RECOMMENDATIONS-MOUNT-PIANO\" ARIA-LABEL=\"RECOMMENDED STORIES\" --><\/p>\n<p>Many Democrats now see a similar risk for Fauci, pointing to the prosecution of other former government officials whom President Trump is critical of, including his former FBI director, James Comey.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Anthony Fauci, a former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, listens during a hearing with the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on July 29. Anna Moneymaker\/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Anna Moneymaker\/Getty Images Anthony Fauci, the 85-year-old retired health official who helped lead the U.S. government&#8217;s response to&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":29847,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3984x2241+0+208\/resize\/1400\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0f%2F47%2F538b6ffe4805a6886eedc83c0dd7%2Fgettyimages-2288176213.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29846","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-political-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29846","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=29846"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29846\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/29847"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=29846"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=29846"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=29846"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}