Florida AG says state doing ‘everything in our power to seek truth’ amid Fauci probe

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said his office was using “everything in our power to seek truth and accountability” in an investigation into Dr Anthony Fauci’s conduct during the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking on Fox News on 9 August, Uthmeier said the review would examine possible claims under Florida law, including fraud, deceptive trade practices and public nuisance, and whether Fauci had personally benefited from pandemic-era guidance. He said no conclusion on criminal conduct had yet been reached.

The inquiry followed Florida’s 5 August subpoena for records relating to awards, professional opportunities, financial incentives, grants and communications concerning COVID-19 policies and vaccines. Uthmeier’s office said it was working with the attorneys general of West Virginia and Louisiana and framed the investigation as one concerning potential effects on Florida consumers and businesses. Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a leading federal pandemic adviser, had recently invoked the Fifth Amendment repeatedly during a Senate hearing; a Senate committee subsequently voted to refer him for possible contempt proceedings. The Florida investigation was ongoing and no finding of wrongdoing had been announced.