Fact check: Biden has preemptively issued a federal pardon for Anthony Fauci. But states can still prosecute him.

1. Summary of the results

The statement is partially accurate. President Biden has indeed issued a preemptive federal pardon for Dr. Anthony Fauci ^{[1] [2] [3]}. The pardon is described as "full and unconditional" and covers the period from January 1, 2014 onwards ^[3]. However, regarding the claim about state prosecution, none of the sources explicitly address whether states retain the ability to prosecute Fauci ^[3].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several crucial pieces of context are missing from the original statement:

• Fauci is not the only recipient of these pardons - others include Gen. Mark Milley and members of the Jan. 6 committee ^[3]
• The pardons were issued just hours before Biden ceded power to Donald Trump ^[4]
• Fauci has never been charged with any crime ^{[2] [2]}
• The pardon was issued as a protective measure against what Biden describes as "baseless and politically motivated investigations" ^{[2] [2]}
• Fauci has been under federal protection due to death threats ^[2]
• Fauci himself has accepted the pardon while maintaining he has "committed no crime" ^[4]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement's framing could be misleading in several ways:

• It presents the pardon in isolation, without mentioning it's part of a broader protective measure for multiple public servants ^[3]
• It omits the context of why the pardon was issued - specifically the threats of investigations from Trump supporters and congressional Republicans regarding COVID-19 response ^[5]
• The statement's emphasis on potential state prosecution could be seen as part of the broader political narrative against Fauci, as multiple sources indicate these pardons were specifically designed to protect against politically motivated investigations ^{[1] [2] [4]}

Those who would benefit from the original statement's framing include political opponents of both Biden and Fauci, particularly those who have been calling for investigations into Fauci's conduct during the COVID-19 pandemic ^[5].