Fox News Digital has confirmed that a key investigative panel in the Senate has obtained a copy of Dr. Anthony Fauci’s pandemic-era cellphone.

The cellphone was transferred from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to the Senate Homeland Security Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, chaired by Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis.

A spokesperson for the senator told Fox News Digital that the subcommittee “obtained a copy of Dr. Fauci’s iPhone that was used during his time at HHS.”

Whether the panel has access to the phone remains unclear.

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The committee’s procurement of the phone, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, comes as the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee readies to decide whether to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress. It also follows the HHS’ move to dump over 1,000 pages of Fauci’s personal diary to the panel just days before the blockbuster hearing.

The hearing, slated for Thursday morning, comes after the panel’s chair, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., subpoenaed Fauci to testify on his alleged role in funding “risky” gain-of-function research in Wuhan, China, where the COVID-19 virus originated.

Last week’s testimony was meant to serve as the climatic duel between Fauci and Paul, who has demanded that Fauci be thrown into prison for his role in the nation’s pandemic policy and alleged lies to Congress.

But, it didn’t turn out that way.

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Fauci, on advice from his lawyers, opted to plead the Fifth Amendment out of concern about self-incrimination in a panel that he charged was designed to ensnare him.

“Although it pains me to do so because of the respect I have for the legislative branch of government, and my decades-long record of cooperating with Congress under the advice of my attorneys, I will invoke my right under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution to refrain from answering your questions,” Fauci said.

What ensued was Republicans on the panel peppering Fauci with questions probing his involvement in an alleged lab leak that led to the virus’ rapid spread to what day of the week it was, while Democrats charged that his decision to activate his constitutional rights was the right call, given Paul and his colleagues determination to catch him in a lie.

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WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 11: Ranking Member Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) speaks as U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan testifies at a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Investigations hearing on Capitol Hill on June 11, 2024 in Washington, DC. Fagan is testifying after Shannon Norenberg, the Coast Guard Academy’s sexual assault response coordinator, resigned Sunday and released a statement alleging she was used to lie and discourage victims of sexual assault from coming forward during a coverup of a report known as “Operation Fouled Anchor.” (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

And it culminated in Paul vowing that Fauci would face consequences for declining to comment, and questioned whether his pardon from former President Joe Biden could protect him.

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“I think there’s another legal question that the courts may have to decide upon, and that is whether or not a presidential pardon offers you complete immunity,” Paul said at the time.

Fox News Digital did not immediately receive comment from HHS on Fauci’s pandemic-era iPhone.