Senate Panel Obtains Fauci’s HHS iPhone as Contempt Vote Nears

The Senate Homeland Security Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, led by Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, has received a copy of Dr. Anthony Fauci’s iPhone from the Department of Health and Human Services. The device was used during Fauci’s tenure at HHS and covers the pandemic period. The extent to which investigators can access the phone’s contents remains undetermined.

The phone’s transfer to Senate investigators precedes a potential contempt vote against Fauci by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. This development follows HHS’s recent delivery of more than 1,000 pages from Fauci’s personal diary to the panel, provided days before his high-profile testimony.

Fauci testified before the committee after being subpoenaed by Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky to address questions about alleged funding of gain-of-function research conducted in Wuhan, China. Paul has sought Fauci’s prosecution, asserting the scientist misled Congress and bears responsibility for pandemic policies and the virus’s origins.

During Thursday’s hearing, Fauci declined to answer questions, invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination based on counsel’s advice. The decision sparked Republican criticism and prompted Paul to suggest presidential clemency from former President Joe Biden might not shield Fauci from future legal action.