A Republican bill seeks to permanently disqualify Anthony Fauci after he invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times during his latest hearing

Following this week's tense and revealing hearing on Capitol Hill, House Republicans have ramped up pressure on former NIAID Director Anthony Fauci.

A new bill led by Congressman Rich McCormick seeks to permanently bar the former official from serving in the federal government again and to pave the way for his eventual criminal prosecution.

The initiative comes as a direct response to Fauci's testimony before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, chaired by Republican Rand Paul.

During the hearing, the former medical advisor invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times to avoid answering questions about his handling of the pandemic, the origins of the virus, and the contradictions between his personal journals and his prior sworn testimony.

The STOP the SWAMP Act and the consequences of government silence

The bill introduced by McCormick, titled the STOP the SWAMP Act, establishes immediate disqualification from holding federal office for any official who refuses to answer legitimate questions from lawmakers or who is convicted of perjury.

Furthermore, the legislation authorizes members of Congress to refer witnesses to the civil justice system if they unlawfully withhold information.

"We saw him evade so many questions by invoking the Fifth Amendment… that's fine; it's his constitutional right," McCormick said in a video shared with Fox News Digital.

"But you also have the right—if your cash register at Burger King is $20 short and your boss asks you why... if you invoke the Fifth Amendment, that's your prerogative, but I can fire you. It should be the same way in government. If you don't want to answer questions about what you did wrong, we should be able to fire you," he added.

Meanwhile, Senator Rand Paul announced that his committee will begin the formal process of holding Fauci in contempt of Congress, a preliminary step toward a possible referral to the Department of Justice.

Contradictions revealed between his diaries and official testimony

Legislative pressure on the former official intensified following the recent release of hundreds of pages of his personal diaries written during the COVID-19 crisis. The documents revealed his focus on media attention and contained entries in which he took credit for influencing the prolonged school closures.

These entries directly contradict the statement Fauci himself made under oath before the House Oversight Committee in January 2024, when he categorically stated: "I did not close the schools."

Although he is not currently facing criminal charges and maintains a defensive stance, attributing the criticism to political motives, the documentary evidence has reignited calls for accountability.