Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced on Wednesday, August 6th, 2026, that his office is joining Louisiana and West Virginia in issuing a subpoena to Dr. Anthony Fauci. The subpoena initiates an official investigation into whether Fauci profited from his COVID-19 guidance, focusing on awards, professional opportunities, financial incentives, grants, and their impact on Florida businesses and consumers.

Uthmeier, alongside West Virginia Attorney General John McCuskey and Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, stated the investigation targets Fauci’s substantial awards, including grants, book deals, and board positions linked to his public recommendations as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases affecting Florida.

"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. He also criticized Fauci’s diary, alleging it focused more on self-promotion than legitimate safety concerns regarding mRNA vaccines, asserting that while Fauci pursued book deals and awards, Floridians were harmed by his misrepresentations.

This subpoena follows renewed scrutiny from some lawmakers on Capitol Hill over Fauci’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last week, during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing, Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment to decline answering questions from Republicans about pandemic management. Notably, President Joe Biden issued a pre-emptive pardon for Fauci just before leaving office in January 2025.

Sources