After previously promising to “cooperate fully” at any Congressional hearing on his work as Biden Administration COVID czar, Dr. Anthony Fauci refused to answer all 111 questions by invoking the Fifth Amendment – and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) says he knows why.“I will enthusiastically vote to hold Anthony Fauci in contempt,” Sen. Cruz declared Friday in an appearance on the Ben Ferguson show, discussing next Wednesday’s House Homeland Security and Government Affairs vote to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress for refusing to answer questions, even though he had immunity, thanks to a blanket pardon from former President Joe Biden.After Fauci refused to answer even a single question at the Senate hearing, flashback videos and reports of the COVID czar’s several 2022 comments quickly appeared in the news and on social media.“I am very happy to testify before any congressional oversight committee. I have nothing to hide. I can explain and validate everything that I’ve done,” Fauci said at the time, when the specter of being called before Congress first appeared. “I believe oversight is a very important part of government structure and I welcome it and it can be productive,” Fauci said in one of several interviews raising the issue.But, at that time, Fauci was fearless, because he knew Biden’s Justice Department would never prosecute him, Sen. Cruz said in his interview.Any contempt finding is not self-executing, so the Justice Department has to agree to prosecute it, Cruz explained:“That’s why Fauci was not worried at all about testifying before Congress as long as Biden Justice Department was there, because they will never hold him to account for anything. “He felt completely protected and immunized and safe.” I will enthusiastically vote to hold Anthony Fauci in contempt.@benfergusonshow and I break down Fauci invoking the Fifth and what’s next on latest episode of Verdict. pic.twitter.com/fGetFhwtAi— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) July 31, 2026