Fauci's legal woes could deter scientists from government service

The Senate is voting this week on holding Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after the former top infectious disease official invoked the Fifth Amendment during questioning about his pandemic-era work. Republicans including Rand Paul argue the Fifth Amendment shouldn't apply because Fauci received a preemptive pardon from President Biden. Critics fear the confrontation will discourage top scientists from government service. The Department of Health and Human Services has already shrunk from eighty-two thousand to sixty-two thousand employees since this administration began, with senior health officials departing over disagreements and management chaos. Per Axios, experts worry that attacking government scientists will ultimately weaken America's capacity to handle future public health crises.

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