James Uthmeier promises investigation into Anthony Fauci’s pandemic policies

Uthmeier said Fauci's 'lack of candor' in congressional testimony begs for a state probe.

The post James Uthmeier promises investigation into Anthony Fauci’s pandemic policies appeared first on Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government..

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Attorney General James Uthmeier is vowing to open an investigation into Anthony Fauci, former Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, following his congressional testimony Wednesday on his handling of the COVID pandemic six years ago.

Fauci appeared before the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to field questions from the Republican-led panel on his influence over social distancing and mask policies implemented during the 2020 outbreak. But under intense questioning from Senators — especially U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, the Committee Chair — Fauci chose not to answer directly.

Fauci declined to answer more than 50 times, injecting new drama into partisan divides that have festered for years about the origins and handling of the pandemic. Fauci repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment, which protects Americans from self-incrimination.

Uthmeier posted on his official X account shortly after Fauci’s testimony, saying he wants to open an investigation into Florida’s COVID policies during the pandemic.

“Fauci’s lack of candor to Congress is unbelievable,” Uthmeier said on X. “My office is launching an investigation into Dr. Fauci. It’s past time we get the truth of what happened during COVID.”

The tension between Florida and Fauci is extensive. Gov. Ron DeSantis, who appointed Uthmeier last year, publicly pondered if Uthmeier could prosecute Fauci on state charges since he was preemptively pardoned on federal charges by former President Joe Biden.

“We have got a new Attorney General coming in. I think he’s of the mindset to look at this to see what the jurisdictional hooks are, to see what if any (state) statutes may have been violated,” DeSantis said at the Yale Federalist Society in February of last year. He has also referred to Fauci as a “little elf” that he wanted to “chuck across the Potomac.”

DeSantis said Biden’s pardon of Fauci was one of his “greatest abuses of power” and even once claimed President Donald Trump was soft on Fauci.

“Biden intended to shield him from accountability and it may have actually sparked state-based efforts to ensure his accountability,” DeSantis said.

DeSantis renewed his Fauci criticism Tuesday when he spoke before the Florida Sheriffs Association, where he called Fauci “a complete disgrace.”

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Material from The Associated Press was used in this report. Republished with permission.