PENSACOLA, Fla. — Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is launching a state investigation into Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Fauci was the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases under the Biden administration.
He was subpoenaed to testify in a Senate hearing Wednesday about his guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fauci invoked his right to stay silent more than 100 times during the hearing.
Uthmeier posted on X Thursday, saying “it’s past time we get the truth of what happened during COVID.”
His office sent WEAR News the following statement:
In light of recent reports exposed by Senator Rand Paul, we will investigate any and all potential violations of Florida law involving Anthony Fauci. Our inquiry will focus on what Fauci knew, when he knew it, and how he misled the American people. We will examine the physical and monetary harms to Floridians that may have resulted from his deceptions and determine whether his conduct exposes him to liability under state law.
Derrick Scott, chair of the Escambia County Democratic Party, says the attorney general’s move is a political ploy.
“I think it is absolutely ludicrous that he would be calling for an investigation at this time,” Scott said. “We understand what we know is he is up for a reelection. So any opportunity to put his name in the headlines so that voters will know, this is his opportunity to do so.”
Dr. Joel Rudman, a former Florida state representative, has a different take.
“I definitely think it warrants investigation because like I said, lives were lost because of his recommendations,” Rudman said. “People were forced to submit to therapies that they didn’t want to submit to.”
“We must hold Dr. Fauci accountable for what he said and what he did,” he said.
Senator Rand Paul, a physician from Kentucky, led the hearing. He’s repeatedly spoken against the COVID-19 vaccine mandates Fauci advocated.
“I stand with the decisions that Dr. Fauci made during that time,” said Scott. “We lost millions of lives during the pandemic through failed leadership. And Dr. Fauci was the one of the individuals who stepped up to try to navigate us through such a pandemic.”
“So to me, Dr. Fauci, he ended up doing this tremendous, just unheard of, unparalleled experiment on unwilling patients,” Rudman said. “There were thousands of physicians, you know, who were wrongfully accused of, you know, you’re not following the science. Well, now I’d like Dr. Fauci to answer the music. I’d like him to face the music. Let’s see if Dr. Fauci was the one not following the science.”
Uthmeier has not specified which Florida laws Fauci may have violated. Fauci has not been charged with any crimes.