State AGs seek investigation of Dr. Fauci’s role in COVID-19 pandemic

• A group of state attorneys general, led by South Carolina AG Alan Wilson, is seeking to investigate Dr. Anthony Fauci’s role in the COVID-19 pandemic. They cite “alleged mismanagement, misleading statements and suppression of scientific debate.”
• This follows a report from the House Select Subcommittee that claimed COVID-19 likely emerged from a Wuhan lab and NIH-funded gain-of-function research.
• The attorneys general argue that President Joe Biden’s pardon of Fauci does not prevent state-level legal action, and are requesting cooperation from Congressional leaders for further investigation.

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A group of state attorneys general is seeking to investigate Dr. Anthony Fauci and his role in the COVID-19 pandemic. Before President Joe Biden left office, he granted a blanket pardon for Fauci, who was neither under investigation nor convicted of a crime, dating back to Jan. 1, 2014.

A presidential pardon is an official act by the U.S. president that forgives someone for a federal crime, usually removing any penalties or consequences.

In a statement, Biden said, “The issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that any individual engaged in any wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any offense. Our nation owes these public servants a debt of gratitude for their tireless commitment to our country.”

Fauci served as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases from 1984 until his retirement in 2022. He worked under President Donald Trump’s first term, coordinating the U.S. response during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fauci and Trump frequently clashed over public health matters. Fauci often disagreed with some of Trump’s views and public health suggestions, particularly regarding unproven treatments and downplaying the severity of the virus.

Fauci’s stance on measures like mask-wearing and social distancing led to significant backlash from some of Trump’s supporters. They viewed his guidance as restrictive or an infringement on personal freedoms. The criticism intensified as Fauci became a prominent figure in the national response to the pandemic.

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson is leading the coalition. According to an official press release, Wilson said they are investigating Fauci’s role in the COVID-19 response. He said they are “demanding accountability for alleged mismanagement, misleading statements, and suppression of scientific debate.”

In December, the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic released a final report following its two-year investigation. They found that “COVID-19 most likely emerged from a laboratory in Wuhan, China.”

The report states that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded and oversaw gain-of-function research with U.S. taxpayer dollars at the Wuhan lab.

Wilson asserts that Dr. Fauci worked to discredit the lab leak theory and misled Congress by allegedly providing “false testimony regarding NIH-funded gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.”

The attorneys general say Biden’s federal pardon of Fauci “does not prevent state-level legal action.”

In a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., the attorneys general requested cooperation in “providing us with information that could outline potential courses of action under state law, should they exist.”

“We are fully committed to investigating any malfeasance that may have occurred to the fullest extent of our authority and are prepared to collaborate with you in further efforts,” Wilson stated in the letter.