NASHVILLE, Tennessee – UPDATE 8/17/21:
Michelle D Fiscus, MD posted a statement on the matter Tuesday morning:
“I made a request to Homeland Security regarding the muzzle and was told that it was not a credible threat to warrant a subpoena. On 7/20/21 the agent who used to belong to the COVID-19 Unified Command Group of the governor wrote to me that he would speak to me and ask for an appointment for the next day. I agreed, but two hours later the agent wrote again that something had come up, that he could not meet me, and that the problem was “not urgent”. My first notification of the subpoena and report was when Axios got in touch yesterday and shared the edited report, a second Amazon account was opened under my name and linked to my credit card. A check of my credit card statement shows that the charge appears on my statement, but since the charge was low and we often order from Amazon, I only noticed this when I was specifically looking for it. There is no email associated with this account and it appears to have been set up with a “burner phone” using a service we don’t have and from Washington state which I haven’t been. The billing address given for the credit card on the second account is incorrectly given as my previous office address. No IP address is listed to identify the origin of the order. This is also a card I used for work-related travel expenses that are reimbursed by the state, and I have presented receipts with this credit card number to the state. There are currently many more questions than answers. We will publish an update when we know more. “
ORIGINAL STORY:
An investigation by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security Special Investigations Bureau found that the state’s dismissed vaccine chief Dr. Michelle Fiscus, who bought the dog muzzle she and her husband claimed someone emailed the doctor to intimidate them.
RELATED: Former State Vaccine Commissioner Says Politics Led To Her Dismissal
Tennessee officials fired Fiscus in July. She had been scrutinized by Republican lawmakers for her department’s efforts to vaccinate teenagers against COVID-19.
Fiscus claimed she was fired as a scapegoat to appease lawmakers. She provided FOX13 with a copy of her resignation letter, which did not explain the reasons for her dismissal.
RELATED: Tennessee Fires Top Vaccination Officials Amid Pandemic
Fiscus and her husband claimed the muzzle was anonymously sent to their state office via Amazon shortly before they were released.
An investigation was opened at the request of the Tennessee Emergency Preparedness Program director, who was concerned that the dog’s muzzle was recorded as a threat.
State investigators have summoned documents from Amazon. The records showed that the purchase of the muzzle was tied to a credit card on behalf of Fiscus.
FOX13 turned to Dr. Fiscus and received this answer:
“I only became aware of the Homeland Security report today when it was made available to me by Axios Nashville. I had asked Homeland Security to obtain a subpoena because Amazon refused to disclose details of the account that ordered the muzzle that was delivered to my office on July 3, 2021. We have now learned that a second Amazon account has been set up under my name on what looks like a temporary phone, possibly in Washington state. I asked Homeland Security for the unedited report so I can do further research and am waiting for your response. “
Dr. Fiscus also posted a tweet responding to the topic by denying being the muzzle of herself.
Regarding the muzzle, I asked Homeland Security to investigate the origin. Just posted an edited HS report from Axios Nashville. Report says a second account was created under my name from a phone in WA? Waiting for unprocessed report. Hold on tight. No, I didn’t send it to me.
– Michelle Fiscus MD, FAAP (@drfixus) August 16, 2021
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