Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been granted permission by the Florida Supreme Court to impanel a grand jury to investigate potential wrongdoing by COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.
The investigation will focus on Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and any executives or medical associations involved in the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in Florida, including those responsible for vaccine design, development, testing, marketing, labeling, distribution, sale, purchase, donation, and administration.
The court order states: “A statewide grand jury shall be promptly impaneled for a term of twelve calendar months, to run from the date of impanelment, with jurisdiction throughout the State of Florida, to investigate crime, return indictments, make presentments, and otherwise perform all functions of a grand jury with regard to the offenses stated herein.”
In his petition, Gov. DeSantis cited a Florida Department of Health analysis that “found an increase in the relative incidence of cardiac-related deaths among males 18-39 years old within 28 days following mRNA vaccination.”
The grand jury will be overseen by Tampa-based Judge Ronald Ficarrotta.
It will have the authority to investigate crimes, return indictments, make presentments, and carry out any other duties of a grand jury in relation to the offenses being investigated.
During a roundtable with state Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo and other scientists and physicians, DeSantis stated, “In Florida, it is illegal to mislead and misrepresent, especially when you are talking about the efficacy of a drug.” He added, “We’ll be able to get the data whether they want to give it or not.”
