Senators Clash as Committee Holds Anthony Fauci in Contempt of Congress: ‘Don’t Interrupt the Chair!’

Sparks flew between Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) Thursday as Paul’s Senate committee voted along party lines to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress.

Peters, the ranking member on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee, repeatedly claimed there was a lack of transparency in the committee’s work ahead of Fauci’s explosive July 29 appearance on Capitol Hill and said Democrats had been shut out while trying to get documents.

“We have been asking for information for quite some period of time over the past 18 months and at every turn, whether it’s the documents or trying to have the ability to question witnesses, we have been denied,” he said.

Paul scoffed, insisting none of the Dems ever asked for access:

GARY PETERS: Let’s continue to have the kind of bipartisan investigations that has made this committee a powerful committee over the years. Right now we’re ceding all that. We’re just making it highly partisan. And when you make it highly-partisan, people just ignore what you do. And that’s really tragic, I think, and it’s sad.

So I would urge my colleagues to let us take a look at these documents. They’re on his private web or whatever he has set up for it. We’ll take a look at it.

But we should get back to the practice where we actually have shared information. I know when Senator [Ron] Johnson was chair, we had shared information. I know he wanted shared information under Chairman Paul’s chairmanship as well.

RAND PAUL: OK, we need to get to the motion.

PETERS: So but I’m well, let me finish is that

PAUL: I’ve let you go on and on, and we’re going to get to the votes.

PETERS: Well I understand that but I didn’t don’t remember ever cutting you off when you were ranking member and I’ve always respected your rights and I have continued to respect your rights.

I would just hope that you would offer that same courtesy to us because things do change and precedent is important and I would urge my colleagues to table this resolution till we have a chance to look at the rec, the information as has been the practice of this committee for as long as this committee has been in existence

PAUL: For the record, Anthony Fauci refused a voluntary private deposition and that’s why he was brought in under subpoena.

PETERS: Because it was going to be one-sided.

PAUL: Don’t interrupt the chair! Don’t interrupt the chair!

With regard to access to records there has been an unprecedented access to records they have all been uploaded on a website that you were invited to join, you refused to join.

You had utter disdain you never even asked for the password not one of you ever signed up it’s been up for over a year. The information is there for the taking.

I’ve repeated it publicly over and over. Don’t come to this hearing saying you weren’t given the records. The records were given. The clerk will call the roll.

As the vote was called, Paul could be heard telling Peters: “You’ve been talking ad nauseum.”

Watch above via CNN.

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