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US Senate panel votes to hold Fauci in contempt
A US Senate committee voted to hold former infectious disease chief Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after he invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times during a Covid-19 hearing. The…
The Story in Brief
A US Senate committee voted to hold former infectious disease chief Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after he invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times during a Covid-19 hearing. The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will refer the matter to the US Justice Department, which will decide whether to investigate or pursue prosecution.
Committee chairman Rand Paul said a pardon granted by former President Joe Biden removed Fauci’s protection from federal prosecution. Fauci said the pardon did not cover possible charges linked to his new testimony. Democrats backed his decision, arguing that he retained a constitutional right to remain silent. President Donald Trump also suggested Fauci should be prosecuted, NDTV reports.
The Indian Opinion
Claims that this vote proves Fauci committed wrongdoing go beyond the record, just as claims that any congressional scrutiny is automatically political are too easy. The immediate issue is narrower: whether a pardoned witness may still invoke constitutional protection when answering new questions. The Justice Department’s decision, and any court ruling on the pardon’s scope, will matter more than partisan statements. Will prosecutors actually bring a case, or reject the referral?
Sources (2): livemint.com, ndtv.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
