DeSantis Hints At Legal Action Against Fauci
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently weighed in on former President Joe Biden’s decision to issue preemptive pardons for Dr. Anthony Fauci, suggesting that the move might ultimately work against the former COVID czar.
Speaking at a press conference, DeSantis was asked about the implications of Biden’s pardon. A reporter pointed out that while Fauci is protected from federal prosecution, there is still the possibility of legal action at the state level.
DeSantis called it a “good” question and shifted the focus to recent disclosures, particularly information revealed through Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.
“I don’t know if you saw this Elon Musk stuff,” DeSantis began. “They identified 180,000 for a commemoration of Fauci at NIH headquarters. What the hell are they commemorating about Fauci? I mean, at best, you can say, you know, you have the Super Bowl of public health, a pandemic, and he totally botched it. That’s the best you can say, without even getting involved in gain of function, research and all the things that went into that treachery, how you can venerate him.”
“At best, you have to admit he got it wrong when this country was looking for leadership. He was on TV … I’ve never seen anyone do more TV interviews,” he continued. The GOP governor then joked: “I was like, why isn’t he looking at the data? And I was like, because he’s always giving interviews. That’s why he’s not looking at the data.”
Turning to Biden’s pardon, DeSantis argued that it might have inadvertently put more attention on Fauci. “But the issue — so Biden did a preemptive pardon of him, which is odd, because, you know, if he didn’t do anything wrong. So the question is, what about a state action? And I think the pardon made it more likely that states are going to look into it,” he said.
He further suggested that had Biden not pardoned Fauci, state attorneys general probably wouldn’t have taken much interest in investigating him.
“I do think had Biden not pardoned him, I don’t think you would have seen the states really do this,” DeSantis said.
“I think they would have deferred to the Trump administration,” he continued. “The reason why this could backfire on Fauci is because even if the, say, Biden didn’t pardon him, if the Trump administration had pursued charges against Fauci in say, DC, you’re not going to prosecute someone from the swamp. If the jury is comprised of the swamp, they will acquit. They protect the swamp.”
He concluded by noting: “If you start looking at some of these other states, those jury pools gonna be a lot different potentially. So I don’t think we’ve seen the end of it. I do think that it’s very possible that the new AG in Florida looks and pursues this type of investigation, but I would also anticipate some other states would also do it, so it may end up boomeranging against Fauci. Biden intended to shield him from accountability, that it may have actually sparked state-based efforts to ensure his accountability.”
WATCH:
Journalist Matt Taibbi, during an interview on Tucker Carlson’s podcast last month, echoed similar sentiments regarding Biden’s preemptive pardons for Fauci, former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), and others. He suggested that the decision might have unintended consequences.
“The thing is, about these pardons, they’re a mistake. If you want to know what’s happening, they just made it a lot easier for us to find out,” Taibbi stated, raising suspicions that the pardons were given to individuals potentially involved in criminal activity.
Carlson pressed for clarification, and Taibbi explained that based on discussions with legal experts, the pardons might strip recipients of the ability to plead the Fifth Amendment if summoned to testify before Congress.
“Now, once the pardon’s delivered, the person can’t plead the Fifth. If they are brought before a grand jury, they can’t take the Fifth anymore, or if they’re brought before a congressional committee, they can’t evoke their right against self-incrimination, so they have to say something,” the journalist explained.