The House Republican proposal aims to prevent Dr. Anthony Fauci from resuming any role in the federal government following a tense hearing on Capitol Hill. Fauci appeared before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, led by Sen. Rand Paul, where he exercised his Fifth Amendment rights over 100 times.
Criticism from Republicans has been intense, leading Rep. Rich McCormick from Georgia to introduce a bill targeting Fauci’s possible return to federal duties. The legislation also opens the possibility of criminal prosecution.
“We saw him evade so many questions, pleading the Fifth… that’s fine, that’s your constitutional right,” McCormick stated. “But you also have the right, if your till comes up short at Burger King, when your boss asks you why are you short $20 in your cash register — if you plead the Fifth, that’s your… ability, but I can fire you.”
McCormick advocates for similar actions within the government. He believes officials should be fired if they refuse to answer questions about their actions, similar to dismissal in the private sector.
The proposed STOP the SWAMP Act aims to ban individuals from federal employment if they fail to answer specific questions or are found guilty of perjury, according to McCormick’s website. This bill would also allow Congress to recommend prosecution for witnesses who unlawfully withhold information.
Currently, Fauci faces no criminal charges and has denied any wrongdoing. However, Paul plans to initiate contempt proceedings against Fauci following the hearing.
The Senate GOP-led panel scrutinized Fauci’s management of the COVID-19 pandemic during their recent session. Diaries authored by Fauci during the pandemic have sparked new interest in his decisions, especially regarding school closures.
Some entries reveal Fauci privately acknowledging his role in influencing lockdown policies, despite public denial. Fauci had previously told the House Oversight Committee, “I did not close the schools.”
Fauci, who became the U.S. government’s COVID-19 response spokesperson, has drawn mixed reactions. He served as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases from 1984 until 2022.
Elizabeth Elkind, a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, covers the House of Representatives. Her work has appeared in Daily Mail and CBS News.