Tiffany Justice, a co-founder of Moms for Liberty and an influential parental rights advocate, tells Just the News that families whose children were set back by the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown may pursue legal action against Dr. Anthony Fauci.

“Fauci, by suppressing dissenting scientists, hiding the origins of the virus, acting beyond statutory limits of his position, stepped outside the protections of the Federal Tort Claims Act,” Justice said Wednesday in an interview on the John Solomon Reports podcast.

“His actions were not legitimate federal duties, and it would strip away the government's protection and leave him personally liable," she added. "...I do know of lawyers and parents who are currently looking at that avenue."

You can listen to the full podcast here.

Her comments came after Fauci on Wednesday was called to testify before the U.S. Senate and pleaded the Fifth Amendment over 100 times in response to questioning about his supervision of the pandemic response.

The 1,000-plus page pandemic-era medical “diary,” authored by Fauci and released by Sen. Rand Paul earlier this week, suggests that vital information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic may have been intentionally hidden from the American people.

Justice cited the disparate impact on American families as grounds for potential legal action.

“When you have the top health official in the United States making recommendations for elected officials across the country, it puts you in an incredibly difficult position to go against the experts, right?” 

“American parents trusted the experts,” she said, and as a result, “watched their kids suffer, and the ramifications of the COVID lockdowns, not only on our businesses, but on our families and our children's development…”

“I'm sure American parents watching that just felt like it was a big slap in the face.”