A Senate committee voted on Thursday to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former White House COVID-19 advisor, in contempt of Congress. The vote follows a hearing held last week during which Dr. Fauci declined to answer specific questions regarding his management of the pandemic and his conduct during the lockdown period.

The committee’s decision to move forward with a contempt referral means the matter will now be sent to the Department of Justice, which will determine whether to pursue criminal prosecution. The process of holding a witness in contempt is considered a significant and infrequent parliamentary action.

There is a notable difference in how the two outlets characterize the motivation behind the committee's action. The Federalist frames the vote as a direct consequence of Dr. Fauci’s alleged dishonesty, explicitly labeling his previous statements as "Covid lies." In contrast, The Independent describes the vote as a procedural response to his "refusal to answer questions" during the hearing, without characterizing the underlying testimony as intentionally deceptive. While both outlets agree on the core fact that a contempt vote occurred and that the case has been referred to the Justice Department, they diverge on the framing of Dr. Fauci’s intent and the nature of the information he withheld.