A Florida grand jury investigation ordered by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis reveals a “pattern of deceptive and obfuscatory behavior” by pharmaceutical companies and federal agencies during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings of Florida’s 22nd Statewide Grand Jury and their forward-looking recommendations highlight concerns about vaccine safety data, the effectiveness of lockdown measures, and captured regulatory oversight.
Citing the grand jury’s findings, DeSantis noted in a social media post on Tuesday:
“these sponsors have taken in billions of taxpayer dollars for creating and selling their vaccines; they cannot be sued if something goes wrong with them; they have access to critical information about deaths related to a side effect of their products; and the public does not have access to that information.”
The grand jury’s report delivered a stark assessment of pandemic policies, stating:
“This wasn’t an ‘information’ problem, it was a ‘judgment’ problem.”
They found that solid scientific research about handling pandemics existed before COVID-19 but was largely dismissed by public health officials and media outlets.
Lockdown Losses and Muffling the Mask Debate
One of the investigation’s most striking findings concerned lockdowns, which the jury concluded “were not a good trade.” Data showed that areas with strict lockdowns often experienced higher overall mortality rates than regions that focused protection efforts on vulnerable populations.