The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (HSGAC) rejected a bid on Wednesday, Sept. 23, to seek immunity for a longtime special assistant to Dr. Anthony Fauci, according to the committee.
The vote on a resolution authorizing an application for a court order compelling testimony under immunity from the assistant, who was not identified, fell short of the required two-thirds of members. All eight Republicans voted in favor, while no Democrats voted in favor. Two Democrats would have had to cross the aisle for approval.
The aide recently appeared behind closed doors before the committee and invoked the Fifth Amendment, or her right against self-incrimination, according to Senate HSGAC Chairman Rand Paul (R-KY). The vote marks the latest development in a congressional investigation into the origins of COVID-19 and the destruction of federal records.
Fauci, 85, headed the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) from 1984 to 2022. He refused to answer questions before the panel earlier in the year, citing the Fifth Amendment, prompting the committee to refer him for contempt of Congress to federal prosecutors. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has not charged Fauci with any crimes.
Background on the Aide and Fauci Investigation
The female assistant worked for Fauci from 2007 to 2022, according to Paul. He said her position placed her in the flow of communications directly relevant to the committee’s investigation into Fauci. The questions senators want answered primarily deal with the destruction of government records, Paul said.
A doctor who was a longtime adviser to Fauci recently pleaded guilty to conspiring to delete government records, according to the committee. Fauci has directed subordinates to delete emails, Paul said.
The committee’s investigation follows the release of Fauci’s private diaries, which Paul made public earlier this year. According to the Epoch Times, the documents span the pandemic years and include near-daily notations from the former NIAID director.
The diaries, written on government computers with the assistance of aides, have been described by reviewers as belonging to the public record. According to Brownstone Institute, the entries help explain how pandemic-era policies unfolded and how the government delayed recognition of natural immunity for ten months while awaiting the release of the injectable product.
Committee Debate and Reactions
Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH), who voted against the resolution, said before the vote that senators should pursue a “good-faith bipartisan approach to obtain this information” rather than rush to approve the resolution. Republicans expressed frustration that only Hassan among Democratic panel members was present during the meeting.
“I come from the private sector. To not show up to a meeting, to say ‘I refuse to do my job,’ is something that only happens in politics,” Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) said. “That is outrageous.”
After the vote, Paul said, “A majority of the committee voted to seek the truth. All Republicans voted to seek the truth. We voted to protect this witness and hear her story. All we needed was two Democrats who wanted to hear her story, but not a single one of them is interested in the investigation or the truth about destruction of federal records.”
Hassan later said Paul’s statement was a mischaracterization of the Democrats’ position.
Investigation into Government Record Destruction
The questions senators want answered primarily deal with the destruction of government records. Fauci has directed subordinates to delete emails, Paul said.
Fauci refused to answer questions before the panel earlier in the year, citing the Fifth Amendment, prompting the committee to refer him for contempt of Congress to federal prosecutors. The DOJ has not charged Fauci with any crimes. According to Just the News, Paul has said new revelations on Fauci’s phone, computer and diary include undisclosed destruction of documents and knowing attempts at increasing gain-of-function research that weaponized a virus.
The investigation has drawn attention from state officials as well. According to NaturalNews.com, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has joined growing calls for states to prosecute Fauci for his role in the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Attorney Greg Glaser stated, “While [former President Joe] Biden’s preemptive pardon is likely to shield Fauci from federal prosecution, it does not preclude state prosecution.”
Next Steps in the Investigation
Paul said he would send a letter to the DOJ requesting pursuit of the matter regarding the committee’s findings. He said his committee’s investigation into government record destruction will continue. No further committee votes on the immunity resolution were announced.
The committee’s work is part of a broader effort to obtain testimony from witnesses who have invoked their Fifth Amendment rights. Under the Immunity Act of 1954, Congress can compel witnesses to testify before congressional committees in national security cases by granting them immunity from prosecution for any criminal activities they may confess, according to legal scholars. The rejection of the immunity resolution leaves the committee without that tool as it pursues the aide’s testimony.
References
- ZeroHedge. “Senate Panel Rejects Immunity For Ex-Fauci Aide”. September 23, 2026.
- Just the News. “Rand Paul’s immunity bid for key Fauci aide fails Senate committee vote”. September 23, 2026.
- Just the News. “Rand Paul drops Fauci bombshell, says more record destruction and gain-of-function research found”. September 23, 2026.
- The Epoch Times. “Senate Panel Vote to Seek Immunity for Ex-Fauci Aide Falls Short”. September 23, 2026.
- NaturalNews.com. “Florida hints at legal action against Fauci for pandemic response”. March 1, 2025.
- Pritchett C. Herman Charles Herman. “The American Constitution”.
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