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A U.S. Senate panel voted along party lines Thursday to hold former top infectious disease official Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress, escalating a long-running political battle over the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 8-5 decision by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee came after the retired scientist repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination during a subpoenaed hearing last week, choosing to decline questions more than 100 times. The resolution charges the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases with failing to fulfill a congressional subpoena, paving the way for potential federal misdemeanor charges.

Committee Chairman Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., argued that constitutional protections against self-incrimination were inapplicable because former President Joe Biden had previously issued Fauci a broad presidential pardon covering his government service. Addressing the panel, Paul insisted that the vote focused strictly on congressional oversight authority rather than pandemic policy, stating that “Dr. Fauci faced no risk of federal prosecution,” and “All he had to do was tell the truth.” Republican lawmakers contended that accepting a pardon required full transparency, asserting that witnesses cannot receive immunity while simultaneously refusing to answer legislative inquiries.

Fauci and committee Democrats rejected that premise, arguing that testimony could expose him to new legal exposure or perjury traps outside the scope of his executive pardon. In his opening remarks at the hearing, the 85-year-old scientist accused the chairman of harboring an “obvious obsession with calling for my prosecution.” Defending his client following the committee’s decision, Fauci’s attorney, David Schertler, described the action as a “crude political stunt intended to punish Dr. Fauci for exercising his constitutional rights.” Democratic lawmakers made several unsuccessful procedural attempts to delay the proceeding, warning that penalizing a witness for claiming constitutional rights would set a dangerous precedent for future legislative oversight.

Following the panel’s vote, Paul indicated plans to bypass a standard vote before the full Senate—where opposition would likely prevent the resolution from reaching the 60-vote threshold needed to clear a filibuster—and hand-deliver the contempt referral directly to federal prosecutors. The move transfers the matter to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington and the Department of Justice, which must determine whether to initiate a formal investigation or seek an indictment. Contempt of Congress is a federal misdemeanor punishable by fines and up to 12 months in prison upon conviction.

The committee’s action represents the latest clash in a multi-year dispute between Paul and Fauci over public health measures, research funding, and the origins of SARS-CoV-2. Prior to the hearing, Republican investigators released thousands of pages of internal government documents, including personal diary entries recorded during the pandemic’s onset. Justice Department officials have confirmed that congressional referrals undergo routine review, though no decision has been announced regarding further legal action against the retired health official.

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Sen. Mitch McConnell was released from a physical rehabilitation facility on Thursday to resume his recovery at home following an extended hospitalization, according to a statement issued by his office. The 84-year-old Kentucky Republican was admitted to the hospital on June 14 after suffering a fall at his Washington, D.C., residence that left him briefly unconscious, along with being treated for a mild case of pneumonia. In his update, McConnell noted, “Earlier today, I was discharged from the rehabilitation center to continue my recovery at home”.

McConnell’s 53-day absence from Capitol Hill represents one of the longest periods of medical leave in his legislative career, during which he missed all Senate roll-call votes. Medical examinations confirmed that the lawmaker did not suffer any bone fractures, concussions, strokes, or cardiac events during the incident. Despite his team releasing periodic photographs to reassure the public, the minimal detail provided early in his recovery prompted bipartisan scrutiny and calls from state leadership, including Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, requesting formal updates on his physical status and ability to serve.

The senator’s prolonged hiatus comes at a critical juncture for Senate Republicans as lawmakers prepare to wrap up business prior to an upcoming five-week August recess. His absence narrowed an already tight voting majority for key party initiatives and pending confirmation votes, including high-profile judicial and administration appointments. The Senate is scheduled to return to Washington on Sept. 14, though McConnell’s office has not specified an exact date for his physical return to the Senate floor.

For the duration of the recess, McConnell plans to focus on regaining mobility through outpatient physical therapy while overseeing legislative operations remotely. “On the advice of my doctors, I’ll maintain an intensive regimen of physical therapy from home during the state work period,” McConnell said, adding, “And I’ll continue to engage with my staff and colleagues on important Senate business”.

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The state of New Mexico filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday against the U.S. Department of Justice and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, accusing federal leadership of obstructing state authorities from investigating sex crimes associated with deceased financier Jeffrey Epstein. Submitted to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the complaint contends that federal officials repeatedly rejected requests for crucial investigative documents from New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, taking actions that “actively harms victims and undermines the public interest”.

The legal filing landed alongside the release of preliminary findings from New Mexico’s ongoing probe into Epstein’s former Zorro Ranch estate near Santa Fe. State prosecutors stated in court documents that they “faced sustained resistance” when seeking the type of routine information sharing that previously took place between state and federal law enforcement agencies. Although New Mexico originally paused a 2019 investigation at the behest of federal prosecutors, state investigators reopened the matter earlier this year to review unredacted case materials under federal transparency legislation.

State officials argue that federal inaction severely hampers local efforts to evaluate alleged abuses and hold potential accomplices accountable. In preliminary correspondence cited in the lawsuit, Torrez emphasized that “The USDOJ’s continued withholding of unredacted records is causing real and escalating harm to the NMDOJ’s criminal investigation,” adding that state prosecutors view the months-long delay as an “unreasonable delay under any rule of reason”. The lawsuit asserts that New Mexico remains one of the few jurisdictions positioned to prosecute surviving associates or “provide some sense of justice to survivors”.

In response to previous inquiries, Department of Justice spokespeople stated that the federal government remains open to assisting local authorities if state proceedings reveal actionable evidence. However, state officials maintain that without federal compliance and access to unredacted evidentiary files, critical leads and survivor testimonies risk degrading over time.

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Progressive candidate and former county public health director Abdul El-Sayed secured the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate in Michigan, narrowly defeating U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens in Tuesday’s primary. The contest was decided by roughly a single percentage point, or fewer than 15,000 votes, after a grueling campaign that served as a major battleground for the party’s ideological direction. With the nomination clinched, El-Sayed now advances to the November general election to face Republican nominee and former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers for the seat vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters.

El-Sayed, who earned prominent endorsements from Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, campaigned on a distinct left-leaning platform centered on single-payer healthcare, strict regulation of artificial intelligence, and campaign finance reform. Addressing supporters before the final call, he described his effort as a movement “built on the foundation of what this government was supposed to be in the first place, government of the people, by the people.” Anchored by his primary slogan, “Get money out of politics, put money back in your pocket and pass Medicare for All,” El-Sayed mobilized high turnout in university towns and liberal hubs to overcome heavy establishment backing for his opponent.

Stevens, a four-term congresswoman who previously served as chief of staff on the federal auto rescue task force under the Obama administration, positioned herself as a pragmatic lawmaker focused on manufacturing and bipartisan delivery. Her campaign was backed by key Democratic leadership and benefited from tens of millions of dollars in outside political spending, including over $10 million in ad buys from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s affiliated super PAC. Conceding the race Wednesday morning, Stevens offered her support for El-Sayed, cautioning that “Donald Trump and Mike Rogers want us to come out of this primary tired and divided, so their billionaire backers can come in and let multimillionaire Mike Rogers walk away with this Senate seat,” adding, “I’m not going to let that happen.”

The primary highlighted deep fractures over foreign policy, corporate political donations, and perceptions of general election viability in a key swing state. El-Sayed took a firm stance against military assistance to Israel during the conflict in Gaza, positioning himself against the substantial ad volume funded by outside interest groups. Responding to questions about whether a progressive could win statewide in November, El-Sayed noted, “Number one, when most people say I’m not electable, what they’re pointing at is my name among my faith in a state that elected Barack Obama twice,” maintaining that “Electability is and has always been about the ability to inspire a movement of people to get people excited about their politics and to want to show up for it,”

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An inactive electrical tower was the primary cause behind the catastrophic 2025 Eaton Fire that claimed 19 lives and destroyed or damaged more than 9,000 structures across Los Angeles County, according to official investigative findings released Tuesday. Fire authorities, collaborating with specialized technical experts, determined that electrical failures on Southern California Edison infrastructure initiated the disaster, which scorched 22 square miles and required nearly a month of firefighting operations to fully suppress.

Investigators spent a year and a half analyzing physical evidence and power grid components before formally determining the precise cause of ignition. “After 18 months of thorough review of all evidence, alongside retained electrical and metallurgical experts, the investigation concluded that the cause of the wildfire conflagration was due to the electrical arcing events that took place on the out-of-service Southern California Edison (SCE) tower,” the agency said in a statement.

In response to the agency’s findings, Southern California Edison spokesperson Kathleen Dunleavy stated that company personnel were reviewing the official report. “We have taken our potential role in the start of this fire seriously from the very beginning,” Dunleavy said, noting that the utility had previously conceded “it was likely our equipment was associated with the ignition of the Eaton Fire.”

The power provider has faced mounting legal scrutiny following the January 2025 wildfire, which struck the community of Altadena with particular severity, accounting for 18 of the 19 fatalities. In court documents submitted earlier this year, Southern California Edison asserted that local public safety agencies failed to issue timely evacuation notifications to endangered residents and argued that municipal water providers, including Pasadena Water and Power, failed to supply adequate water resources to emergency crews as the flames spread.

The Eaton Fire erupted on Jan. 7, 2025, during the same severe weather event that fueled the nearby Palisades Fire. Together, the twin blazes marked one of the most destructive wildfire crises in California history, leaving behind vast property devastation and prompting ongoing litigation surrounding utility infrastructure management, municipal emergency alerting, and fire suppression preparedness across Southern California.

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The U.S. House Committee on Ethics announced Tuesday that it has launched an investigation into Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, centered on claims of domestic violence and illicit substance use. The announcement came shortly after the second-term lawmaker publicly stated his intention to seek a self-directed review in an attempt to address personal allegations raised in recent court filings.

The bipartisan panel confirmed leaders are reviewing allegations that Miller “may have engaged in domestic violence and abuse or illegal drug use” in violation of congressional standards, though officials stressed the action “does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred”. Ahead of the panel’s public statement, Miller posted to social media that he welcomed the formal scrutiny: “I am going to file my own paperwork for an ethics investigation into myself to clear my name from these horrific attacks on myself and family,” adding, “I have absolutely nothing to hide”.

The inquiry follows public accusations made by his former spouse, Emily Moreno, who alleged in domestic court proceedings that Miller engaged in physical abuse toward her and their young child. The dispute escalated after Moreno’s father, Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, publicly broke his silence regarding the custody conflict, describing the experience for his family as “truly the seventh level of hell” and stating that “This has been brutal beyond comprehension” as he urged Miller to vacate his congressional seat.

Miller has forcefully rejected the domestic violence claims, attributing the dispute to contentious divorce proceedings and maintaining that the accusations are fabricated. Republican leaders and presidential strategists have reportedly monitored the situation with concern over potential electoral repercussions for the GOP’s narrow House majority ahead of candidate filing deadlines. Meanwhile, Miller has maintained that he will remain in his reelection campaign while cooperating with the House panel to examine the relevant documentation.

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