Will a Senate committee vote to hold Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress before Aug 8?
63% of users predicted NO — the community missed this one. 30 predictions cast.
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted 8-5 along party lines on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after he declined to answer questions about the government's COVID-19 pandemic response during committee testimony. All Democrats present opposed the resolution, with two more opposing by proxy.
Republicans on the panel argued Fauci could not invoke Fifth Amendment protections because he had already received a preemptive pardon from former President Joe Biden covering his COVID-era conduct — the same conduct the committee is investigating. Rather than sending the resolution to a full Senate floor vote, Chairman Rand Paul opted to refer it directly to the Justice Department, and a congressional aide confirmed the referral was transmitted.
The vote is the latest step in a monthslong standoff between Fauci and Senate Republicans over his 2020-21 pandemic decisions, following his earlier refusal to answer questions on Fifth Amendment grounds and a GOP senator's disclosure of Fauci's phone records.
The community vote leaned "no" at only 37% "yes" across 30 votes, underestimating the committee's willingness to act; the actual outcome was yes.