Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has issued a subpoena to Dr. Anthony Fauci as part of a state investigation examining Fauci’s conduct during the COVID-19 pandemic, including allegations that the longtime federal health official pursued lucrative personal opportunities while publicly promoting pandemic policies. The move follows calls from Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) and other Republicans to pursue Fauci at the state level. Uthmeier said his office is looking at possible violations of Florida law and is demanding documents concerning Fauci’s actions, communications, and financial opportunities.
Uthmeier discussed the subpoena during an appearance with Fox News host John Roberts, who asked the attorney general what his office was doing regarding Fauci. The investigation comes shortly after Fauci appeared before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, where he repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination while being questioned about the federal government’s COVID response. Tuberville subsequently joined calls for state authorities to examine Fauci’s conduct, an avenue that could potentially reach outside the scope of former President Joe Biden’s federal pardon.
“Just about an hour or two ago, we issued a formal subpoena to Dr. Fauci under Florida state law, seeking a breadth of documents ranging to what he knew, when he knew it, his doubts about the safety and efficacy of vaccines that he’s out there promoting, and we’re really focused in on his self-dealing,” Uthmeier told Roberts. The attorney general stressed that the subpoena is part of an investigation and does not itself amount to a criminal charge against Fauci. His office is examining whether conduct uncovered through the records could fall under Florida statutes.
As Fox News reported, Uthmeier and Tuberville had pledged to pursue state-level scrutiny of Fauci following his recent Senate appearance. Uthmeier told Roberts that his office was especially interested in allegations that Fauci sought opportunities for personal financial gain while serving as one of the federal government’s most prominent voices on COVID policy. “Evidence has come to light that he was trying to personally profit off of this. This is outside of his government duties, his official role,” Uthmeier said.
“He’s trying to pursue book deals, awards, get connected with high rollers that, you know, might help him come into millions and millions of dollars,” the attorney general continued. “This is wrong, and it could go towards a deceptive trade practice, fraud, public nuisance—you name it. I think there’s many aspects of Florida law that now are implicated.” Those statements remain allegations being examined by the state investigation, and Fauci has not been convicted or charged with those offenses as of this writing.
Roberts then pressed Uthmeier on what evidence had prompted the inquiry. The attorney general pointed to Fauci’s COVID-era diary and communications involving members of his staff, saying, “A lot of it, you know, he revealed himself in this diary. We’ve got communications, emails with subordinates where he’s asking them to help work on applications for these awards.” The records cited by Uthmeier are among materials that have drawn increased congressional scrutiny after Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) released Fauci’s diary.
Watch Uthmeier discuss the subpoena here:
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Uthmeier specifically highlighted one large financial award Fauci received. “We know one award in particular. He made $900,000 on that,” he said. “Again, this is separate and independent from his government salary.” Fox reported that Uthmeier appeared to be referring to the Dan David Prize associated with Tel Aviv University, which Fauci received during the pandemic, while the investigation is also seeking information concerning other awards and professional or financial opportunities he received.
The subpoena reaches beyond Fauci’s financial activities. Florida is seeking information concerning vaccine efficacy and boosters, natural immunity, potential adverse events, communications with vaccine manufacturers, and Fauci’s interactions with Florida businesses and communities over vaccination, social distancing, masking, and school closures. The attorney general has characterized the matter as beginning with a civil investigation while leaving open the possibility that evidence uncovered could lead elsewhere.
“It starts as a civil inquiry,” Uthmeier said. “But we’re going to tie in all aspects of Florida common law, things ranging from deceptive trade, fraud, public nuisance, nothing is off the table.”
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video.