With just hours left of his presidency, Joe Biden issued preemptive pardons to Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired Gen. Mark Milley and members of the House Jan. 6 committee.
With just a few hours remaining in his presidency, Joe Biden preemptively pardoned Anthony Fauci, Mark Milley and members of the January 6th Committee and their staffs, amid concerns that they would be targets of investigation by the incoming administration.
President Biden said the pardons are not an "acknowledgment that any individual engaged in any wrongdoing" but rather protect individuals from "unjustified and politically motivated prosectutions."
The outgoing president acted to short-circuit incoming President Trump’s stated plans to exact retribution from perceived enemies.
Thompson encouraged Americans to pay attention to how Trump is starting his second term after he issued 1,500 pardons to Jan. 6 rioters.
Joe Biden has issued preemptive pardons to Anthony Fauci, Mark Milley and more just hours before Donald Trump's inauguration.
As one of President Joe Biden's final acts Monday, he announced several pre-emptive pardons including that of Mississippi Congressman Bennie Thompson.
The preemptive pardons, described by Biden, aim to prevent the “baseless and politically motivated investigations” that could harm the reputations and finances of those targeted. He emphasized, “Even when individuals have done nothing wrong—and in fact have done the right thing—the mere fact of being investigated or prosecuted can irreparably damage reputations and finances.
Speaker Mike Johnson said Wednesday that Congress will “look into” Joe Biden pardoning his family—but said Donald Trump’s clemency for Jan. 6 rioters was about “redemption.” The top House Republican also announced another select committee on January 6,
As Hegseth’s hearing proceeded before the Senate Armed Services Committee, there was an air of unreality to the nominee’s performance. Moreover, the committee’s Republican majority seemed to have little appreciation for the gravity of decisions required of the defense secretary.
The unprecedented use of pardons by former President Biden on his last day in office coupled with President Trump’s sweeping pardon of violent Jan. 6 offenders on his first has sparked renewed scrutiny of the singular power.