Seventeen state attorneys general have joined forces to investigate Dr. Anthony Fauci’s handling of the COVID-19 response, even after he received a preemptive pardon from former President Joe Biden. The state-led probe, spearheaded by Attorney General Alan Wilson, aims to examine whether Fauci violated state laws or abused public trust during his time as the government’s top infectious disease official.

The attorneys general formally requested information from House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, asking for federal investigative findings that could aid state-level legal action. “A pardon by former President Biden does not extend to preclude state-level investigations or legal proceedings,” they wrote.

Wilson accused Biden of shielding Fauci from accountability, calling the pardon a “shameful attempt” to protect him from prosecution. He emphasized that states have the authority to pursue legal action independently.

The push for accountability follows a December 2024 report from the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, which identified inconsistencies in Fauci’s public statements and government actions. The report alleged that Fauci actively dismissed the lab leak theory despite supporting evidence and misled Congress about the National Institutes of Health’s funding of gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

Despite these accusations, Biden praised Fauci’s leadership in his final hours as president, crediting him with saving “countless lives” through his role in past public health crises, including the HIV/AIDS epidemic and responses to Ebola and Zika.

State attorneys general are now reviewing whether Fauci’s actions may have violated state laws, particularly in areas related to government transparency and the use of taxpayer funds. The coalition has vowed to hold officials accountable, regardless of federal immunity.