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Dr. Anthony Fauci was voted in contempt of Congress on Thursday after a Senate committee determined that his repeated refusal to answer questions during a hearing on the COVID-19 pandemic warranted a criminal referral. The move comes after Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment 111 times while declining to respond to lawmakers’ inquiries.

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee approved the contempt resolution by an 8-5 party-line vote, referring the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) for possible prosecution. The hearing focused on Fauci’s handling of the pandemic and his previous congressional testimony concerning U.S.-funded “gain of function” research.

Under the resolution, Vice President JD Vance, acting in his role as President of the Senate, is authorized to certify the committee’s report and forward it to U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro for possible prosecution.

If convicted of misdemeanor contempt of Congress, Fauci could face a sentence of up to one year in prison and a fine of as much as $1,000.

At the July 29 hearing, Fauci criticized committee chairman Sen. Rand Paul, accusing the Kentucky Republican of targeting him personally.

Republican members of the committee had intended to question Fauci about research conducted at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the possibility that COVID-19 originated from a laboratory leak, and the scientific basis for several controversial pandemic policies.

Because Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment, he declined to answer even routine questions, including one from Sen. Josh Hawley asking about the color of his necktie.

Republicans argued that Fauci had forfeited his ability to invoke the Fifth Amendment because of both the opening statement he voluntarily delivered and the sweeping pardon he received from then-President Joe Biden covering potential federal offenses between January 2014 and January 2025.

“The assertion of a Fifth Amendment privilege only adheres to those instances where the witness has a reasonable fear of future prosecution, and it must be tailored to any such fear,” Hawley noted.

“Fauci faced no risk of federal prosecution. All he had to do was tell the truth,” Paul claimed shortly before the vote. “More than 100 times, though, he refused.”

“The chair ruled that Doctor Fauci’s assertion of the Fifth Amendment privilege was unsupported in light of the pardon and the testimony he offered in his opening statement. The chair directed Anthony Fauci to answer. He refused again,” he added.

Democrats attempted to halt the contempt proceedings by offering motions to table the resolution, including a proposal to grant Fauci immunity from federal prosecution if he agreed to testify fully. Republican members voted down each of those efforts.

Democrats argued that Fauci still had legitimate concerns about legal exposure because Paul has repeatedly urged the Justice Department to investigate whether Fauci misled Congress in prior testimony.

They also noted that three state attorneys general have subpoenaed Fauci and argued that any testimony he provided before the Senate could potentially be used in state investigations, despite his federal pardon.

Sen. Gary Peters, the committee’s ranking Democrat, accused Republicans of punishing Fauci for exercising a constitutional right.

“Future witnesses will argue that appearing before Congress exposes them to punishment, regardless of whether they comply with the subpoena and invoke a constitutional protection,” warned Peters, the top Democrat on the committee.

“The chairman has also suggested he may attempt to refer this matter to the Department of Justice without approval of the full Senate,” Peters added. “That would be even more dangerous.”

Earlier Thursday, Sen. Ron Johnson disclosed that the committee had obtained a copy of Fauci’s cellphone from the Department of Health and Human Services and said lawmakers are also seeking an additional transcribed interview with the former NIAID director.

{Matzav.com}

Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday dismissed reports that he had a contentious exchange with Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu over Iran policy, saying the two leaders had an honest but cordial discussion and insisting there was no confrontation.

The controversy stemmed from Vance’s recent appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast, during which he claimed that certain figures within the Israeli government had supported efforts to undermine negotiations with Iran and prevent a possible ceasefire agreement.

During an interview Wednesday on Fox News with Laura Ingraham, Vance was asked about an Axios report alleging that Netanyahu challenged him over those comments during the Prime Minister’s recent visit to Washington, D.C., at Blair House.

“He didn’t confront me. We had a nice and frank conversation,” Vance said, rejecting the characterization of the meeting.

The Vice President emphasized that while the United States and Israel remain close allies, they do not always see every issue the same way.

“As I’ve said repeatedly, Israel has been a great partner. They’re an ally of the United States of America. But like France or Britain or any other ally of the United States of America, we sometimes have differences of opinion,” the Vice President noted.

Vance said his responsibility is to advance American interests above all else, even when disagreements arise with friendly nations.

“And I think that the American media is fascinated by this dynamic, but the simple reality is my job is to pursue the interests of no other nation on Earth except for the United States of America. So when our interests are aligned with Israel, we talk about how to accomplish those shared objectives. When my viewpoint is averse to the Prime Minister of Israel, we have a frank conversation about that.”

Reflecting on the meeting, Vance reiterated that the discussion was respectful despite the differing viewpoints.

“a pleasant but direct conversation. I didn’t feel confronted.”

Netanyahu also addressed the reports during an interview with ABC News while he was in Washington, rejecting the suggestion that Israel had pursued the policy Vance described on the podcast.

“Well, we’re not actually. I had a very good conversation with the vice president this morning, and I think we straightened that out because we’re not. That’s not our policy,” the Prime Minister emphasized.

{Matzav.com}

WATCH:

Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein, a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, delivered powerful words of chizuk at the bar mitzvah of his great-grandson, expressing confidence that the next generation of bnei Torah will safeguard Klal Yisroel. He also shared a moving story illustrating how wisdom and good judgment can prevent conflict and transform anger into harmony.

The simcha, held in Bnei Brak, celebrated the bar mitzvah of the bochur Dovid Segal, son of Rav Yosef Halevi Segal, one of the prominent avreichim in Kollel Ponovezh, and grandson of Rav Avraham Yaakov Zilberstein.

Rav Zilberstein listened attentively and with obvious nachas as the bar mitzvah bochur delivered his drashah. The drashah focused on whether one recites Shehecheyanu upon purchasing a new pair of tefillin. The young bochur concluded by citing his great-grandfather’s psak that the accepted custom is not to recite the berachah directly on the tefillin. Instead, one should take a new fruit, recite Shehecheyanu over it, and have in mind to include the new tefillin as well.

Following the drashah, Rav Zilberstein addressed those gathered with heartfelt words directed to the broader tzibbur.

“Klal Yisroel does not know exactly what tomorrow will bring. We simply do not know. Even our leaders themselves do not know what tomorrow will be. But there is one thing we do know. What do we know? That children like this, who are growing up here, will protect us in every way. That is our foundation—a sweet child standing here and speaking such beautiful divrei Torah. Ashreichem v’ashrei chelkechem.”

Rav Zilberstein then shared a story to illustrate the importance of acting with wisdom and sensitivity.

“As is well known, on Erev Yom Tov many people travel from Bnei Brak to Yerushalayim, each one going to spend Yom Tov with his Rebbe or Rav. A large crowd was waiting at a bus stop when bus after bus passed by completely full. Since they had filled up at earlier stops, none of them stopped at the final station. The people waiting there became extremely angry. They were upset not only because some of the buses had left late, but also because none of them stopped.”

“They said that if another bus came by, they would smash its windows. Then a very wise driver arrived and did something incredibly clever. His bus was actually scheduled to travel from Bnei Brak to Tiveria. He stopped, got off the bus, and asked the crowd, ‘I see there’s a big commotion here. What’s going on?'”

“They explained that every bus was passing without taking on passengers and that everyone was furious. The driver responded, ‘I’ll call my supervisor. Look, there is a tremendous chesed that can be done for the people of Bnei Brak. There simply aren’t enough buses.’ He then requested permission to change his route from Bnei Brak–Tiveria to Bnei Brak–Yerushalayim.”

“And that is exactly what he did. He immediately changed the destination sign so that instead of Tiveria, it read Bnei Brak–Yerushalayim. It is unbelievable. He was a Bnei Brak resident, but more importantly, he had tremendous seichel. The people showered him with blessings, telling him, ‘You saved us. You are a wise man. May Heaven bless you.’ No one cursed him. Instead, everyone blessed him and described how long they had been waiting.”

“What did I learn from this? I learned something truly remarkable. If a person wants to be a proper Jew, he must also be a Jew with seichel! That driver understood that had he arrived from the outset as a Yerushalayim bus, they would have broken his bones because of their anger and frustration. So what did he do? He simply changed the destination and route number. It is unbelievable. What does Tiveria have to do with Yerushalayim? But he had seichel. With that wisdom, he saved everyone from machlokes, lashon hara, and every other negative trait. Instead of curses, there were endless blessings, and everyone wanted to kiss him.”

“That is what it means to be a true oved Hashem. A true oved Hashem is someone who sees anger and tension among people and, through wisdom, transforms it into blessing. Such a person will receive tremendous reward.”

Rav Zilberstein concluded with a call for every Jew to strive to create a Kiddush Hashem through refined conduct and noble character.

“We must know that the greatest mitzvah today is to make a Kiddush Hashem. Proper behavior. Refined behavior. Nobility and gentleness, just as our family knows how to conduct itself, following the example of Rav Elyashiv and our grandparents from every side.”

“HaKadosh Baruch Hu should help that this young boy grow to greatness, and may HaKadosh Baruch Hu help all of Klal Yisroel that we should be blessed with seichel, to know how to conduct ourselves and fulfill the will of the Creator. May HaKadosh Baruch Hu grant us every blessing, and let us say Amen.”

{Matzav.com}

The Trump administration dramatically increased the reward for information leading to the capture of Juan Carlos González, also known as “Pelón,” announcing Wednesday that it will now pay up to $25 million for information resulting in the arrest of the U.S. citizen who is believed to be leading Mexico’s most powerful drug cartel.

The reward, previously set at $5 million, is part of a broader crackdown on the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). In total, the administration announced $100 million in rewards targeting top cartel figures while also imposing visa restrictions on relatives and business associates connected to cartel leadership.

Federal officials said the latest actions, combined with newly unsealed criminal charges against five additional senior cartel leaders, are intended to weaken the organization’s command structure as President Donald Trump intensifies pressure on Mexico and other Latin American countries to strengthen efforts against transnational criminal organizations.

“These sophisticated organizations use violence and fear to maintain control over the importation of deadly narcotics in the United States, including fentanyl, cocaine, meth, and other illegal drugs. Their actions spread violence and death to our communities,” acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told reporters in Washington.

CJNG is one of eight Mexican cartels the United States has designated as a foreign terrorist organization. The cartel suffered a major setback in February when its longtime leader, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” was killed in an operation carried out by the Mexican military with intelligence assistance from the United States. The operation was followed by a surge of violence across the Mexican state of Jalisco.

Authorities believe González, the stepson of Oseguera Cervantes and a dual U.S.-Mexican citizen, assumed control of the cartel after his stepfather’s death. Officials say the criminal organization operates across a wide range of industries, from avocado production to international drug trafficking.

Wednesday’s announcement follows sanctions imposed by the United States several weeks ago against 50 individuals and companies allegedly tied to CJNG, including González. Those sanctions froze assets under U.S. jurisdiction and prohibited financial dealings with the designated individuals and entities.

Officials describe CJNG as Mexico’s largest cartel, with operations spanning 21 of the country’s 32 states and an international footprint that includes significant activity inside the United States.

The Trump administration has continued to increase pressure on Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s government to intensify its campaign against the cartels, at times warning that military action against the criminal organizations remains an option.

Among those named in the newly unsealed indictments are Julio Alberto Castillo Rodriguez, the former son-in-law of Oseguera Cervantes, and Hugo Gonzalo Mendoza Gaytan, whom authorities identified as the slain cartel leader’s godson. Officials said all of the defendants face charges related to drug trafficking and firearms offenses.

“This is a fight against CJNG that we are just beginning, and we will not back down,” Terrance Cole, head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, told reporters.

{Matzav.com}