Senate committee votes to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress

A Senate committee voted on Thursday to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress. The vote was 8-7, with Republicans in favour and Democrats against. Fauci refused to answer questions more than 100 times at a hearing two days earlier. He used his Fifth Amendment right, which allows people to stay silent to avoid self-incrimination. His lawyer said this was a valid constitutional right. Contempt of Congress is a federal misdemeanor and can lead to up to 12 months in prison. The case now goes to the full Senate, where 60 votes are needed to pass it. Legal experts say the Senate does not currently have enough votes. A previous presidential pardon covers Fauci's actions up to January 2025.