Rand Paul says Biden pardon leaves Fauci ineligible for Fifth Amendment protections
A Republican-led committee is set to vote Thursday on whether to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress and refer the matter to the Justice Department, according to the Associated Press. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, who subpoenaed Fauci, called the contempt vote for Thursday.
Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment at a committee hearing last week focused on his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, declining to answer dozens of questions from lawmakers.
The dispute turns on a pardon Fauci received early last year from Democratic President Joe Biden. Paul and other Republican senators insist the pardon left Fauci ineligible for the Fifth Amendment protections he cited.
A contempt finding could open the door to an investigation into whether Fauci had a valid constitutional right against self-incrimination when he refused to respond, the AP reported.
A Senate resolution released Tuesday asserted that Paul found Fauci’s privilege claims “unsupported.”