WASHINGTON — Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former White House COVID-19 czar who became the face of the US response to the pandemic, has been subpoenaed by three state attorneys general who are investigating whether he promulgated health guidance for “personal profit.”
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier joined West Virginia Attorney General John McCuskey and Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill in requesting Fauci hand over records generated between January 2020 and August of this year.
“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 in a statement.
“Fauci’s diary focused more on self-promotion than the legitimate safety concerns from the mRNA vaccines. While Fauci was pushing for book deals, awards, and fortune and fame, Floridians were being deceived and harmed by his misrepresentations.”
The request followed Sen. Rand Paul’s release last month of Fauci’s personal diaries, which had been made between 2019 and 2022 and preserved on government computers at the Department of Health and Human Services.
In some of the earliest entries, Fauci disputed the theory that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, originated in a Wuhan, China, wet market — despite having publicly advocated for a natural spillover from animals to humans and denounced proponents of the so-called “lab leak theory.”
“What we know already is Fauci lied — we just don’t know yet how much,” Murrill claimed. “But he lied about something as basic as keeping a diary.”
The former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) director also prided himself in the diary on his newfound notoriety amid the pandemic and privately quizzed colleagues about awards that he could apply for.
That included the nearly $1 million Dan David Prize, affiliated with Tel Aviv University, for his leadership during the pandemic, according to other emails released by Paul (R-Ky.).
“We’re really focused in on his self-dealing,” Uthmeier told Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom” on Wednesday, citing emails in which Fauci asked subordinates to apply for the awards on his behalf.
“Congratulations….you’re rich!” Fauci’s personal assistant Patricia Conrad cheered when he was awarded the Dan David Prize in April 2021.
“I want my 15%,” added Greg Folkers, Fauci’s chief of staff.
The then-NIAID director acknowledged receipt of the funds one month later.
Uthmeier has claimed other awards, “offers of named professorships and book deals, board positions, private foundation partnerships, and other professional and financial opportunities concurrent with his federal role and public recommendations impacting Florida” are part of his probe into Fauci.
The Florida AG’s subpoena also requests documents and communications on “vaccine efficacy and boosters, natural immunity, potential adverse events including myocarditis risks, messaging strategies, and communications with vaccine manufacturers.”
Paul’s Senate Homeland Security Committee voted along party lines Thursday to hold Fauci in contempt for refusing to answer questions about the prize money, COVID lockdowns, US funding for so-called “gain of function” research on viruses — or the possible origins of the pandemic.
The chairman is seeking to have the contempt resolution certified by Vice President JD Vance in his role as president of the Senate, forgoing a full chamber vote and delivering the request for prosecution directly to DC US Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office.
Former President Joe Biden had already pardoned Fauci for any potential federal crimes committed between January 2014 and January 2025.
GOP senators claimed during the July 29 Homeland Security panel hearing that Fauci couldn’t then invoke his Fifth Amendment rights and refuse to answer questions. Paul also claimed that Fauci had voided his privilege by making an opening statement before refusing to answer questions.
In that opening statement, Fauci rebuked Paul for having an “obvious obsession with calling for my prosecution.”
Fauci’s attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the state subpoenas.
