WASHINGTON – With hours left in his term, President Joe Biden announced a slew of pardons Monday morning to pre-emptively protect Americans threatened by President-elect Donald Trump.
Mr. Biden spoke with former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, Dr. Anthony Fauci, members and staff of the committee that investigated the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, and the U.S. Capitol and Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department who testified before the committee. pardoned a police officer.
Panel members included California Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff, then a member of the House of Representatives. Former Reps. Liz Cheney, R-Wyoming, Adam Kinzinger, R-Illinois, Elaine Luria, R-Virginia, and Stephanie Murphy, R-Florida. and current Representatives Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.), Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), Rep. Jamie Raskin (Maryland), and Rep. Bennie Thompson (Mississippi).
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Officers who testified before the committee included Harry Dunn, Aquilino Gonell, Michael Fanone, and Daniel Hodges.
Biden said in a statement that some of the people he preemptively pardoned are “under threat of criminal prosecution” and that he “cannot in good conscience do anything.”
“These public servants serve our country with honor and distinction and do not deserve to be subject to unwarranted and politically motivated prosecutions,” he wrote.
The president said Milley served the United States for more than 40 years, “leading our military to address complex global security threats and strengthening existing alliances while forging new ones.” Ta. Fauci saved lives by managing responses to HIV/AIDS, the Ebola virus and the Zika virus, and later mentioned the coronavirus, helping the country “tackle a once-in-a-century pandemic.” said.
Mr. Biden defended the members of the committee on January 6 and condemned those who attacked or threatened them, although he did not mention Mr. Trump by name. The president-elect said the members of the January 6 commission should be investigated and jailed.
“Rather than accept responsibility, those who carried out the January 6th attacks have seized every opportunity to rewrite history, erase the stain of January 6th for partisan strategy, and seek revenge. and used the threat of criminal prosecution to undermine and intimidate those who served on the task force,” Biden wrote.
“These baseless and politically motivated investigations are wreaking havoc on the lives, safety, and economic security of targeted individuals and their families,” Biden said.
“Even if an individual has done nothing wrong, is in fact doing the right thing, and is ultimately acquitted, the mere fact that they have been investigated or prosecuted can have a huge impact on their reputation and finances. “There is the potential to cause unnecessary damage,” he said.
The president said the pardon should not be misconstrued as an admission that these people engaged in wrongdoing.
Recipients thanked Biden for his actions. Milley said in a statement that he and his family are “deeply grateful for the president’s actions today.”
Milley, who has served his country in uniform for 43 years and upheld and defended the Constitution, said: “I will use the remaining time the Lord has given me to seek unjust revenge for being disrespected.” I don’t want to spend it fighting people who might end up causing distraction, expense, and anxiety to my family, friends, and those I serve with.”
Fauci said in a statement that Biden, one of seven presidents he has advised, has been praised by both parties for his actions. He said he was “the subject of politically motivated investigations and threats of prosecution.”
“These threats are completely baseless,” he said. “I have not committed a crime and there is no conceivable basis for any allegations or threats of criminal investigation or prosecution against me.The fact is, however, that these baseless threats were only clearly stated and that they could not be carried out. It will cause immeasurable and excruciating pain to me and my family.”
Dunn said he wished a pardon “wasn’t necessary,” but unfortunately, the current political climate has made the need for a pardon a reality to some extent. I, like every other public servant, have just done my job and kept my oath, and I will always keep it. ”
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, criticized Mr. Biden’s preemptive pardon of Mr. Fauci, who has repeatedly clashed with Mr. Biden over his response to the pandemic.
In a post on He hinted at the idea of investigating, saying, “I won’t rest until it’s done.” The entire truth of the cover-up will be exposed, but Fauci’s pardon will only serve as a catalyst to pierce the veil of deception. ”
