On Thursday, the Senate Homeland Security Committee passed a resolution, along partisan lines, to hold Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after he refused to testify at a hearing last week about the origins of the COVID-19 virus, citing his Fifth Amendment protections. Thursday’s vote featured all eight Republicans on the committee voting to find Fauci in contempt, with all five Democrats voting against the measure. The committee, chaired by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky), will forward a recommendation to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to consider charging Fauci with criminal contempt of Congress charges. “Today’s partisan committee vote is a crude political stunt intended to punish Dr. Fauci for exercising his constitutional rights,” said David Scherler, an attorney representing Fauci. If the DOJ decides to pursue contempt charges against Fauci, he could face up to a year in prison if he’s convicted.