Senate Investigators Receive Fauci's Phone Amid Contempt Vote

WHO:

CNN - Sen. Ron Johnson, chair of the Senate Homeland Security Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, stated, “Hopefully, this device will address many of the questions he refused to answer at last week’s hearing.”

CNN - Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., stated, “We don’t do charging, the Department of Justice does. If we win the vote on Thursday my plan is to send it to the Department of Justice.”

Fox News - Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said, “My team is working right now on a memo to Blanche explaining why we think that he can be prosecuted for contempt of Congress.”

Fox News - Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., is drafting a memo to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to urge the Justice Department to pursue a criminal contempt case against Fauci.

Fox News - Vice President J.D. Vance is the President of the Senate.

CNN - Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated he handed over Fauci's personal diary files to Paul and Johnson after finding them on government servers following an eight-month search.

CNN - Dr. Anthony Fauci, GOP Sen. Ron Johnson, Sen. Rand Paul, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Fox News - Sen. Ron Johnson's subcommittee, Rand Paul's panel

WHAT:

Fox News - The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is set to vote on a resolution to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress for invoking the Fifth Amendment during his testimony.

Fox News - The Department of Health and Human Services provided Fauci's phone to Johnson’s panel.

CNN - The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is set to vote on a resolution to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress for invoking the Fifth Amendment during his testimony.

Fox News - If Republicans vote to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress, the Justice Department will decide whether to pursue a criminal prosecution.

Fox News - Sen. Rand Paul stated, “We’ll find out Thursday,” regarding whether the panel would have the votes to hold Fauci in contempt.

Fox News - If the contempt vote passes, the next step is typically for a full Senate vote to be held.

CNN - The entries in Fauci's diary documented his frequent media appearances and growing fame, including interactions with celebrities and dozens of members of the news media.

CNN - Fauci's diary entries also narrate his growing concerns about Covid-19, frustrations with the government response, and conflicting relationships with both Trump and Biden administration officials.

CNN - The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is set to vote on a resolution to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress for invoking the Fifth Amendment during his testimony.

CNN - Sen. Rand Paul stated, “We’ll find out Thursday,” regarding whether the panel would have the votes to hold Fauci in contempt.

CNN - The committee plans to send the results of the contempt vote to the Department of Justice immediately after the vote.

CNN - Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. handed over Fauci's personal diary files to Paul and Johnson after finding them on government servers following an eight-month search.

CNN - Johnson stated, “Hopefully, this device will address many of the questions he refused to answer at last week’s hearing.”

NPR - Fauci described Sen. Rand Paul as having "an unhinged obsession" with him during his opening statement at the hearing.

Fox News - Fauci received a "preemptive" pardon from President Joe Biden for conduct between 2014 and January 2025.

Fox News - The 2025 pardon does not protect Fauci from prosecution for conduct after that date, including remarks made during current congressional testimony.

CNN - A Senate subcommittee has obtained a copy of Fauci's iPhone.

CNN - The Senate Homeland Security Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations is planning to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress for refusing to testify.

CNN - Fauci invoked his constitutional right against self-incrimination more than 100 times during a hearing.

CNN - The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will vote on a resolution to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress.

CNN - The committee plans to send the results of the vote to the Department of Justice.

WHERE:

CNN - The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is located in Washington, D.C.

WHEN:

CNN - The vote on the resolution to hold Fauci in contempt is scheduled for Thursday morning.

WHY:

CNN - The contempt vote is part of a Republican-led effort to investigate Fauci's actions during the Covid-19 pandemic and validate claims that he orchestrated a cover-up of the virus's origins.

Fox News - The pardon was described by Biden as a measure given the Republican scrutiny of Fauci.

CNN - Republicans are investigating Fauci's actions during the Covid-19 pandemic and seeking to validate claims that he orchestrated a cover-up of the virus's origins.

CNN - Frustrated Republicans view Fauci's noncooperation as evidence of culpability.

HOW:

Fox News - Sen. Rand Paul stated that if the contempt vote passes, he plans to send the results to the Department of Justice without needing a full Senate vote.

Fox News - Paul’s unusual plan to send the contempt referral directly to the Justice Department could bypass the need for a full Senate vote, requiring certification from Vice President J.D. Vance.

Fox News - Paul’s plan to send the contempt referral directly to the Justice Department could bypass the need for a full Senate vote, requiring certification from Vice President J.D. Vance.

Fox News - If Republicans vote to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress, the Justice Department will decide whether to pursue a criminal prosecution.

CNN - The committee plans to send the results of the contempt vote to the Department of Justice immediately after the vote.

CNN - The Department of Health and Human Services provided Fauci's phone to Johnson’s panel.

CNN - Paul’s committee released over 1,100 pages of Fauci's personal diary from 2019 to 2022, which were found on government servers after an eight-month search.

(UPDATED August 7, 2026 05:32 UTC)

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is preparing to vote on a resolution to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress for invoking the Fifth Amendment during his recent testimony. Senator Ron Johnson, chair of the committee, expressed hope that a device provided by the Department of Health and Human Services will help address many unanswered questions from last week’s hearing. Additionally, Senator Rand Paul indicated that if the contempt vote passes, he intends to send the results directly to the Department of Justice without requiring a full Senate vote.

(UPDATED August 7, 2026 03:50 UTC)

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is preparing to vote on a resolution to hold Dr. Fauci in contempt of Congress for invoking the Fifth Amendment during his testimony, with the vote scheduled for Thursday morning. Senator Rand Paul indicated that if the vote passes, he plans to send the contempt referral directly to the Department of Justice, potentially bypassing the need for a full Senate vote, while Senator Josh Hawley is drafting a memo explaining the grounds for prosecution. If Republicans decide to hold Fauci in contempt, it will ultimately be up to the Justice Department to determine whether to pursue criminal charges.

(UPDATED August 7, 2026 00:45 UTC)

Senator Josh Hawley is drafting a memo to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, urging the Justice Department to pursue a criminal contempt case against Fauci. Senator Rand Paul mentioned that they would find out Thursday whether the panel has enough votes to hold Fauci in contempt, and if that vote passes, a full Senate vote would typically follow. However, Paul's plan to send the contempt referral directly to the Justice Department could bypass the full Senate vote, needing only certification from Vice President J.D. Vance.

(UPDATED August 6, 2026 18:27 UTC)

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has revealed that he handed over Dr. Anthony Fauci's personal diary files to Paul and Johnson after discovering them on government servers following an extensive eight-month search. The diary entries detail Fauci's rise to fame through media appearances, his interactions with celebrities, and his growing concerns about Covid-19, along with frustrations regarding the government's response and his complex relationships with officials from both the Trump and Biden administrations. If Republicans decide to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress, the Justice Department will determine whether to move forward with a criminal prosecution.

(UPDATED August 6, 2026 13:31 UTC)

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is preparing to vote on a resolution to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress for invoking the Fifth Amendment during his testimony. Senator Rand Paul indicated that the committee would reveal the outcome of the vote on Thursday, and the results will be sent to the Department of Justice immediately afterward. This contempt vote is part of a Republican-led initiative aimed at investigating Fauci's actions during the Covid-19 pandemic and addressing allegations that he orchestrated a cover-up regarding the virus's origins.

(UPDATED August 6, 2026 11:24 UTC)

In a recent hearing, Johnson expressed hope that a new device would clarify questions that Trump avoided answering last week. Fauci, during his opening statement, referred to Senator Rand Paul as having "an unhinged obsession" with him, while also receiving a "preemptive" pardon from President Biden for actions taken between 2014 and January 2025, though this pardon does not shield him from prosecution for anything after that date. The committee plans to promptly send the results of the contempt vote to the Department of Justice following the vote.

(UPDATED August 6, 2026 08:20 UTC)

A Senate subcommittee has obtained a copy of Dr. Anthony Fauci's iPhone and is planning to hold him in contempt of Congress for refusing to testify, having invoked his constitutional right against self-incrimination more than 100 times during a hearing. The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, located in Washington, D.C., is set to vote on this resolution Thursday morning, with Republicans investigating Fauci's actions during the Covid-19 pandemic and alleging he orchestrated a cover-up of the virus's origins. Additionally, over 1,100 pages of Fauci's personal diary from 2019 to 2022 were released by Rand Paul's committee, found on government servers after an eight-month search, further fueling the investigation.