Pardon Won’t Save Fauci — Florida Escalates

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier just told Dr. Anthony Fauci that innocent men don’t need pardons.

Quick Take

Florida issued a subpoena to Dr. Anthony Fauci over possible profiteering from COVID-19 guidance.
Louisiana and West Virginia joined Florida’s investigation this week.
Uthmeier says Fauci’s pardon from former President Biden won’t stop a state probe.
The probe followed a Senate hearing where Fauci pleaded the Fifth over 100 times.
Investigators are also reviewing a diary released by Republican senators tied to Fauci’s time in office.

Florida Demands Answers From Fauci

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has opened a civil investigation into Dr. Anthony Fauci. His office subpoenaed the former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director over “awards, professional opportunities, financial incentives, grants, and COVID-19 guidance that impacted Florida businesses and consumers.” Uthmeier says the goal is simple: find out if Fauci broke Florida law while running the nation’s pandemic response. Uthmeier didn’t hide his suspicion about the reason behind Fauci’s push for a presidential pardon before leaving office. Appearing on Fox News, he made his skepticism plain, telling host John Roberts he wants to know if Fauci “personally profited” from the guidance he handed down during the pandemic. If Fauci made money off decisions that hurt Florida families and businesses, Uthmeier argues, that could break state law regardless of any federal pardon.

Pardon Won’t Shield Him From State Law, AG Says

Fauci received a preemptive pardon from former President Joe Biden before leaving office, covering potential federal charges. Uthmeier has made clear that pardon means nothing when it comes to Florida’s civil investigation. “I don’t know why you need a pardon if you didn’t do anything wrong,” Uthmeier said, pointing out that a federal pardon can’t erase state-level accountability for actions that hurt consumers in Florida.

Fifth Amendment Pleas Triggered the Probe

The investigation traces back to a Senate hearing where Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times while lawmakers questioned him about the government’s pandemic response. Uthmeier didn’t mince words about what he saw. “Fauci’s lack of candor to Congress is unbelievable,” he said, announcing his office would launch a state probe right after watching the testimony unfold.

Florida is not investigating this alone anymore. Attorneys general from Louisiana and West Virginia have joined the effort, turning a single-state inquiry into a coordinated push by three Republican-led states. Uthmeier’s office announced the expansion this week, saying the additional states issued their own subpoenas targeting the same questions about Fauci’s guidance and possible personal financial gain.

Diary Release Adds Fuel to the Fire

Republican senators recently released a diary attributed to Fauci from his time running the pandemic response. That release directly triggered Florida’s decision to subpoena him, according to reporting on the investigation’s origins. Investigators want records tied to grants, awards, and any financial benefits Fauci received while shaping the guidance that closed businesses and altered daily life across Florida.

Uthmeier told Fox News host Maria Bartiromo that his office is doing “everything in our power to seek truth” about what happened during the pandemic. Legal analysts note the exact charges Fauci could face remain unclear at this stage, since Florida’s case rests on newer legal theories around fraud and deceptive trade practices rather than traditional bribery statutes. Still, the investigation marks one of the most direct state-level challenges yet to a top federal pandemic official’s conduct, testing whether a presidential pardon can truly shield someone from consequences at the state level.