Southern governors move to sue Fauci despite Biden pardon

Alabama Senate leader Tommy Tuberville announced plans to examine state-level charges against former NIH chief Anthony Fauci, asserting that President Joe Biden’s blanket pardon does not apply to offenses against the state. He warned that Fauci could be summoned to Montgomery repeatedly and urged Alabamians to file civil suits. In Florida, Attorney General James Uthmeier, via spokesperson Jae Williams, confirmed a statewide inquiry into whether Fauci’s pandemic guidance breached state statutes, emphasizing the need to assess physical and financial harms to residents.

Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins, a gubernatorial hopeful, backed the investigation, linking Fauci’s recommendations to personal health decisions and broader economic loss. The moves come as Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right 111 times during a Senate hearing, prompting criticism from several Republican officials, including California Republican nominee Hilton, who pledged to create a COVID Accountability Commission if elected. The coordinated efforts reflect a broader partisan push to pursue legal and civil remedies despite the federal pardon.