Three Republican state attorneys general – James Uthmeier of Florida, Liz Murrill of Louisiana and John McCuskey of West Virginia – have launched a joint investigation into Dr Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, arguing that his federal pardon from President Biden does not shield him from prosecution under state law. The move matters because it opens a potential legal avenue for Fauci's Republican critics to pursue accountability over his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, despite the pardon having closed off federal charges.

Biden granted Fauci a pre-emptive pardon before leaving office, covering any federal offences he might have committed, but this does not extend to crimes prosecuted at state level. The three attorneys general argue this gap allows them to examine Fauci's conduct independently, with McCuskey telling Fox News Digital he joined the probe to ensure Americans "have confidence" that officials are held accountable. Further details of the specific allegations being examined were not fully outlined in the available report.