Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced Wednesday that his office has opened a state investigation into Dr. Anthony Fauci, escalating Republican efforts to scrutinize the government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic after Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment during a heated Senate hearing.

Fauci, who served as President Donald Trump’s COVID-19 adviser during the pandemic, promoted measures such as mask mandates and social distancing that drew fierce opposition from many Republican lawmakers, especially in Florida under Gov. Ron DeSantis. Over the past several years, Fauci has repeatedly testified before congressional committees, where critics accused him of misleading lawmakers and the public.

During Wednesday’s Senate hearing, Fauci declined to answer questions, invoking his constitutional right against self-incrimination. Shortly after the hearing concluded, Uthmeier revealed that Florida would begin its own investigation.

“Fauci’s lack of candor to Congress is unbelievable,” Uthmeier wrote in a post on X. “It’s past time we get the truth of what happened during COVID.”

Since DeSantis appointed him attorney general in February 2025, Uthmeier has launched a series of high-profile investigations and legal actions, including challenges involving the state’s ban on transgender medical treatments for minors and litigation related to NFL hiring practices.

Responding to Fauci’s testimony, DeSantis argued Wednesday on X that the former White House medical adviser should not be able to rely on the Fifth Amendment because he had already received a preemptive pardon from President Joe Biden. DeSantis also said Fauci should be held in contempt of Congress for refusing to answer questions from Sen. Rand Paul about U.S. funding provided to a laboratory in the region of China where the first known COVID-19 cases emerged.

When another X user asked what legal options remained, DeSantis replied that any prosecution would have to come from state authorities despite the federal pardon.

“It would require either a state AG or local state attorney to bring a case, which would need to establish violations of state law as well as personal jurisdiction over the defendant,” DeSantis wrote.

Paul has already warned Fauci that invoking the Fifth Amendment would not end congressional scrutiny. The Kentucky senator said Fauci would face consequences for refusing to testify and has scheduled an Aug. 5 committee meeting to consider whether Congress should hold him in contempt.

DeSantis became one of the nation’s most prominent critics of the federal pandemic response, rejecting many of Washington’s public health recommendations during COVID-19. Florida became the first state to fully reopen its schools, and in 2021 DeSantis appointed Dr. Joseph Ladapo as state surgeon general after Ladapo gained national attention for questioning the effectiveness of policies such as mask mandates and social distancing.

Uthmeier also played a key role in Florida’s pandemic response, serving as DeSantis’ chief of staff before being selected to succeed current Sen. Ashley Moody as attorney general. About a month ago, he said he had been actively looking for a legal path to prosecute Fauci.

“And when I have a case ready, I’ll bring it,” Uthmeier said at the time.

{Matzav.com}