Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced Saturday that her office will investigate Dr. Anthony Fauci, a move that comes just days after the former top health official invoked his Fifth Amendment right during a contentious Senate hearing.
Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination 111 times during the Senate hearing and declined to answer lawmakers' questions.
Despite receiving a federal pardon from former President Joe Biden, Fauci could still potentially face prosecution under state law, according to Murrill.
Murrill noted that, despite Fauci's claims of not recalling many key details of his own actions, contemporaneous records he kept are now being discovered.
Louisiana will join Alabama and Florida in investigating Fauci and determining whether he committed any offenses that could be pursued in state courts, Murrill added.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry also weighed in, expressing his support for the investigation, stating that his state is happy to join the efforts of Alabama and Florida.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier previously announced that his office would investigate Fauci following the Senate hearing.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., also spoke out against Fauci, stating that the former official's federal pardon does not shield him from potential state prosecutions.
Tuberville emphasized that Fauci is responsible for the deaths of millions of Americans and tens of thousands of Alabamians, and that the pardon does not apply to state-level crimes.
Tuberville, who is running for Alabama governor, vowed to explore ways to pursue state charges against Fauci while encouraging Alabamians to pursue civil claims.
When elected governor, Tuberville said he will look into ways to hold Fauci accountable for the lives lost under his watch.
