The Florida Attorney General, James Uthmeier, announced that his office will open a criminal case against Dr. Anthony Fauci after he refused to answer questions from senators during a hearing before the United States Congress on Wednesday morning.
"Fauci's lack of candor before Congress is astounding. My office is initiating an investigation into Dr. Fauci. It's time we know the truth about what happened during COVID", Uthmeier, an ally of Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, stated on his social media.
Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment a total of 111 times during his testimony before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security. The former health official of the Joe Biden administration did not want to answer even the most basic questions, such as what day of the week it was today or what color tie he was wearing.
This morning, Fauci did not answer the senators' questions
The legal issue at stake
Since Biden granted Fauci a general and preventive pardon before leaving the White House in 2025, this legal immunity that the Democratic doctor has invalidates the privilege of the Fifth Amendment, so he cannot take refuge in silence when senators ask him about his actions as a public official during the pandemic management.
Republican Senator from Missouri, Josh Hawley, referenced the Supreme Court case Brown v. Walker from 1896, arguing that it could serve as a precedent to invalidate Fauci's appeals to silence.
Republican Senator from Kentucky, Rand Paul, indicated that the committee in the Upper House that he chairs will vote on August 5 to decide whether to recommend to the Justice Department that Biden's health czar be charged and prosecuted for contempt of Congress.
Senator Rand Paul clashed with the Democratic doctor at today's hearing