Oklahoma – “Congress has a responsibility to conduct oversight and get answers for the American people about how COVID-19 started and how our government responded,” Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford said after voting to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress following a contentious Senate hearing over the former top health official’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Dr. Fauci was subpoenaed to testify, and refused to answer over 100 times. That’s not accountability to the people we serve. I voted today to hold him in contempt,” Lankford wrote on X.
The vote came after Fauci appeared before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, where lawmakers questioned him about the origins of COVID-19, pandemic-era decisions, and his role as the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
During the hearing, Fauci repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, declining to answer numerous questions from lawmakers. Reports said Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times during the hourslong hearing, including roughly 111 times according to some reviews of the testimony.
Fauci said he made the decision based on advice from his attorneys and argued that questions from lawmakers, particularly those from committee Chairman Sen. Rand Paul, could potentially expose him to legal risks. Fauci also accused Paul of having a personal focus on him, describing the senator’s actions as part of what he called an “unhinged obsession.”
Republican lawmakers, including Lankford, argued that Fauci’s refusal to answer prevented Congress from fully carrying out its oversight responsibilities. They said the hearing was intended to provide Americans with answers about the government’s handling of the pandemic and the decisions made during the public health emergency.
The contempt vote followed a push by Paul, who argued that Fauci should not have been able to refuse to answer questions after receiving a broad pardon from former President Joe Biden covering certain federal offenses committed during his years in government. Democrats pushed back, arguing Fauci had a constitutional right to invoke the Fifth Amendment and criticized the effort as politically motivated, AP News reported.
The dispute is part of a broader Republican investigation into the origins of COVID-19 and the government’s response during the pandemic. GOP lawmakers have continued to question whether federal agencies properly handled pandemic policies, including research funding, public health guidance, and communications with the public.
Fauci has repeatedly defended his record and denied allegations that he misled Congress or the public. During previous appearances, he has maintained that his actions were guided by scientific evidence and public health considerations.
The Senate panel’s contempt action represents another escalation in the long-running political battle over pandemic accountability. The committee’s decision could lead to a referral to the Justice Department for further review, according to AXIOS.
Lankford said the vote was about transparency and accountability rather than politics.
“Congress has a responsibility to conduct oversight and get answers for the American people,” Lankford said, arguing that Americans deserve a full examination of how the pandemic began and how government officials responded.
The Oklahoma senator has previously criticized China’s handling of the early COVID-19 outbreak and called for more investigation into the origins of the virus. He has argued that the American people deserve answers about decisions made during the pandemic and the impact those decisions had on families, schools, businesses, and communities.
The controversy surrounding Fauci’s testimony is expected to continue as lawmakers debate the scope of congressional oversight and the legal consequences of refusing to answer questions during a subpoenaed appearance.
Oklahoma Sen. Lankford says he voted to hold Dr. Fauci in contempt, arguing that "Congress has a responsibility to conduct oversight and get answers for the American people"
