Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced his office is initiating an investigation into former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Director Dr. Anthony Fauci. The decision follows Fauci's invocation of his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination more than 100 times during a congressional hearing.
"Fauci's lack of candor to Congress is unbelievable. My office is launching an investigation into Dr. Fauci. It's past time we get the truth of what happened during COVID," Uthmeier stated in a social media post. In an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital, Uthmeier elaborated that the inquiry would focus on uncovering what Fauci knew, when he knew it, and how he may have misled the American public. The investigation will also assess potential physical and monetary harms to Floridians resulting from alleged deceptions and determine Fauci's liability under state law.
Uthmeier's action is prompted by revelations from Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. These revelations include internal notes Fauci allegedly wrote on government computers during his tenure at NIAID. According to reports, these notes, sometimes referred to as Fauci's "diary," suggest a discrepancy between his private assessments and public statements regarding COVID-19's death rate.
For instance, an entry dated Feb. 8, 2020, reportedly quotes Fauci discussing the outbreak with former CDC Director Tom Frieden. Fauci and Frieden allegedly believed the virus behaved like a severe influenza, with a case fatality rate closer to 0.2-0.3%, significantly lower than a previously stated figure. However, testimony from Fauci to the House Oversight Committee on March 11, 2020, estimated the mortality rate at approximately 1%, stating it was "10 times more lethal than the seasonal flu."
During Wednesday's hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Fauci declined to answer legislators' questions 111 times, asserting his Fifth Amendment right. Senator Rand Paul has accused Fauci of lying and destroying public records related to the pandemic and has indicated his committee will vote next week on holding Fauci in contempt of Congress.
Other Republican lawmakers have also criticized Fauci's actions. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, suggested Fauci should face congressional contempt charges for refusing to answer questions, even after receiving a presidential pardon. Cruz asserted that Fauci has demonstrated "contempt for Congress and contempt for the American people for decades."