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A top House Republican signaled Wednesday that scrutiny of Dr. Anthony Fauci may intensify after the former public health official repeatedly refused to answer questions before a Senate panel. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., suggested that former President Joe Biden’s pardon of Fauci may not shield him from congressional accountability, arguing the document stands on uncertain legal footing.
Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination more than 100 times during the Senate GOP-led hearing, which examined his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Comer stated that if Biden’s blanket pardon is legally sound, Fauci would have no grounds to refuse testimony, and suggested the former director’s reluctance to answer reveals doubts about the pardon’s validity.
The hearing was triggered by the public release of Fauci’s personal diary from the pandemic period, which had previously been withheld from House investigators. Comer accused then-Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra of blocking the committee’s access to the documents during the Biden administration and vowed to question whether Fauci stands by his earlier congressional statements.
Diary entries released by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., the committee chair, contained reflections on Fauci’s prominence during the crisis and discussions regarding the disease’s origins. Some passages suggested Fauci claimed credit for influencing school closures, contradicting his January 2024 testimony to the House Oversight Committee that he did not close schools.
Biden issued the pardon to Fauci in the final hours of his presidency, covering offenses from January 1, 2014, onward and any conduct related to his government service roles. Comer warned before the hearing that the pardon likely would not protect Fauci from liability for testimony given under oath, stating that any false statements could trigger accountability.
Paul announced his committee would vote next week on whether to recommend contempt of Congress charges against Fauci. A conviction on such charges could result in fines up to $100,000 and imprisonment for up to one year, pending Justice Department prosecution.
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