Three State Attorneys General Subpoena Fauci Over Covid Guidance

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said Wednesday that his office is joining two other states in issuing an investigative subpoena to Dr. Anthony Fauci, alleging that he "profited" from the recommendations he issued during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Uthmeier, joined by West Virginia Attorney General John McCuskey and Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, said in a news release that the subpoena supports "an official investigation into awards, professional opportunities, financial incentives, grants, and Covid-19 guidance that impacted Florida businesses and consumers."

"Government officials have a certain level of immunity in their official capacities, but if Fauci personally profited off of the 'guidance' he issued, that very well could have broken Florida law," Uthmeier said.

The subpoena asks Fauci to turn over documents relating to alleged "self-dealing" from Jan. 3, 2020, through the present, with a deadline of Aug. 31. The list includes grants, awards and book deals he was considered for or received, his interactions with Florida businesses, media outlets and communities, and records "concerning vaccine efficacy and boosters, natural immunity, potential adverse events including myocarditis risks, messaging strategies, and communications with vaccine manufacturers."

Uthmeier cited journal entries recently released by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., which he said document "substantial awards" tied to Fauci's public recommendations as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. "Fauci's diary focused more on self-promotion than the legitimate safety concerns from the mRNA vaccines," Uthmeier said. The entries were written while Fauci was a federal employee, on government-owned devices.

Fauci has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in his handling of the pandemic response. His lawyer, David Schertler, did not immediately return a request for comment.

The subpoena follows a contentious hearing last week before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, where Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment rather than answer Republicans' questions. He said the decision stemmed from Paul's "obvious obsession with calling for my prosecution." McCuskey called the refusal "concerning."

The committee is scheduled to vote Thursday morning on holding Fauci in contempt; Paul said he would send the resolution to the Justice Department immediately if it passes. The department would decide whether to act. President Joe Biden issued a pre-emptive pardon for Fauci just before leaving office in January 2025.