Anthony Fauci has declined to appear for a second congressional testimony before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs subcommittee after a vote to hold him in contempt of Congress. Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI), chairman of the committee’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, announced that Fauci's lawyers informed him that the former White House medical advisor refuses to participate in a private transcribed interview. Johnson stated that taxpayers deserve answers regarding the COVID-19 response.
Johnson indicated that the subcommittee would continue to seek Fauci's records and may explore legal options for further action. This announcement follows Fauci's previous testimony where he invoked the Fifth Amendment in response to questions, which drew criticism from Republican senators, particularly regarding entries in his personal diaries made public by the committee.
Fauci's attorneys argued in a letter to Johnson that any further attempts to have him testify would be seen as harassment for political purposes, asserting that he has already answered Congress's questions transparently in prior testimonies. Johnson, however, expressed skepticism, suggesting that Fauci has much to hide, referencing previous statements made by Fauci about his willingness to testify.
The Senate committee voted along party lines to hold Fauci in contempt for pleading the Fifth over 100 times during his July testimony, with Republican senators arguing that his pardon from President Joe Biden should have allowed him to answer questions under oath. Following Fauci's July testimony, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier opened an investigation into Fauci for alleged lack of candor to Congress, with Senator Rand Paul indicating he would assist in the investigation.