A Senate committee is set to vote today on whether to hold former COVID Czar Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress for refusing to answer questions during last week’s hearing examining how he handled the nation’s response to the pandemic.
Chairman and Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) has been leading the effort to bring criminal charges against Fauci, even releasing his diary before the hearing. He, along with other Republican members of Congress, argues that Fauci lied to Congress about issues including gain-of-function research and the origins of COVID-19, allegations that Fauci has repeatedly denied.
After the hearing, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) told Fox News Digital that he wants to see Fauci face jail time for refusing to answer questions regarding alleged misconduct related to the government's pandemic response.
"I think Anthony Fauci has had contempt for Congress and contempt for the American people for decades," Sen. Cruz said. "His diary shows that he deliberately lied to the American people over and over and over again."
Fauci pled the Fifth Amendment, invoking his constitutional right against self-incrimination, over 100 times during his testimony last week. He has also been called to testify before Congress over 200 times since the pandemic began in 2020.
"Dr. Fauci ought to think about what it says about the end of his career, that what he will be remembered for the most is pleading the Fifth more than 100 times," Sen. Cruz said. "He's been the most damaging bureaucrat in the history of America."
Representative Pat Fallon (R-TX) agreed with Sen. Cruz’s demand, stating on X that what Fauci’s diary revealed directly contradicted several claims he made to the public.
“Fauci privately pushed locking down schools then publicly denied it once the damage to kids’ learning was obvious,” Rep. Fallon said. “The error was handing this pathological liar so much power over people's lives.”
Many Republican lawmakers underscored the economic consequences Fauci’s push for extended lockdowns caused.
“America paid the price in lost learning, ruined businesses and shattered trust,” Rep. Fallon said.
