State Representative Chuck Owen has filed House Resolution 214 which reads:
To urge and request the attorney general of the state of Louisiana to investigate whether Pfizer, Inc., Moderna, Inc., Johnson & Johnson, and associated entities violated any state or federal laws while operating in the state of Louisiana with regard to the promotion, distribution, or sale of COVID-19 vaccines or vaccine boosters.
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic officially began in the winter of 2020 in the United States; and
WHEREAS, the pandemic was the first of its kind to hit the United States and Louisiana in over a century; and
WHEREAS, the pandemic caused great societal disruption in the state of Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, a significant effort in the United States went into finding treatment for citizens who were infected by the virus; and
WHEREAS, large manufacturers of medical treatments, vaccines, and drugs were heavily involved in the creation of treatments and inoculations against the vaccine; and
WHEREAS, the public health and public safety should have been the primary focal points for the promotion, distribution, and or sale of vaccines and vaccine boosters developed to confront and treat the COVID-19 virus; and
WHEREAS, there were significant efforts by public and private entities in promoting and distributing the COVID-19 family of vaccines and vaccine boosters; and
WHEREAS, the citizens of the state of Louisiana deserve the right to full disclosure of the actions of providers of the COVID-19 family of vaccines and boosters in terms of accountability and performance within the limitations of the law; and
WHEREAS, efforts to manufacture, distribute, and promote all COVID-19 vaccine products were publicly funded; and
WHEREAS, under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act, all COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers, distributors, and providers are immune from federal civil liability.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge and request the attorney general to investigate the actions of pharmaceutical companies and to review the actions of the companies and associated entities to determine if all involved followed the letter and spirit of the laws of the United States and the state of Louisiana with regard to the promotion, distribution, and sale of the COVID-19 family of vaccines and vaccine boosters since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the attorney general shall report her findings and recommendations to the House of Representatives by March 1, 2025.
Thank you, Rep Owen, for this much needed resolution to “urge and request” Attorney General Liz Murrill to investigate possible violations of state and federal laws by Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson “with regard to the promotion, distribution, or sale of COVID-19 vaccines or vaccine boosters.”
What state or federal laws might these companies have violated? The False Claims Act comes to mind.
As a reminder, the sole statutory exclusion from the impregnable immunity from liability provided by the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act is willful misconduct. Let’s hope and pray AG Murrill is able to find evidence of just that so appropriate justice will follow.
