Louisiana Moves to Investigate Fauci After Fifth Amendment Silence

Clear Facts

• Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced her office will investigate Dr. Anthony Fauci following his Senate testimony
• Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination 111 times during Wednesday’s Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing
• Louisiana joins Florida and Alabama in pursuing potential state-level prosecution, which Biden’s federal pardon does not cover

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced Saturday that her office will investigate Dr. Anthony Fauci, days after the former top health official invoked his Fifth Amendment right during a contentious Senate hearing. The move makes Louisiana the third state to pursue potential prosecution of the former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director.

Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination 111 times during Wednesday’s Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing. He declined to answer lawmakers’ questions about his handling of the pandemic response and the origins of COVID-19.

Murrill shared her concerns on social media, noting that despite receiving a federal pardon from former President Joe Biden, Fauci could still potentially face prosecution under state law.

“Fauci lied,” Murrill wrote.

“Louisiana and Missouri deposed Dr. Fauci. At the time, he claimed to not recall many key details of his own actions and now we are discovering contemporaneous records he kept.”

“Louisiana will join Alabama & Florida in investigating Fauci and whether he committed any other offenses that could be pursued in our State courts,” she added.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry also weighed in on the decision.

“As someone who was Attorney General alongside Eric Schmitt, and deposed Dr. Fauci, I am happy to have Louisiana join Alabama and Florida!” Landry wrote on social media.

Louisiana is the latest state to announce an investigation into Fauci. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced Thursday that his office would investigate Fauci following the Senate hearing. Uthmeier previously stated that “any and all potential violations of Florida law” are under review.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., told reporters that Fauci’s federal pardon does not shield him from potential state prosecutions because presidential pardons apply only to “offenses against the United States.”

“Anthony Fauci is responsible for the deaths of millions of Americans and tens of thousands of Alabamians,” Tuberville said.

“The ‘pardon’ signed by Joe Biden’s autopen doesn’t apply to state-level crimes.”

Tuberville, who is running for Alabama governor, said that if elected he would explore ways to pursue state charges against Fauci while encouraging Alabamians to pursue civil claims.

“When I’m governor of Alabama, I will look into ways we can hold Fauci accountable for all of the Alabamians who died under his watch.”

The multi-state effort to investigate Fauci represents a significant escalation in accountability measures following years of questions about pandemic policy decisions. State attorneys general are examining whether federal health guidance violated state laws or caused harm that could be prosecuted at the state level.

The distinction between federal and state jurisdiction has become a central issue. While Biden’s pardon covers federal offenses, it offers no protection against state criminal charges or civil liability. Legal experts note this creates an avenue for states to pursue justice independent of federal pardons.

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