Biden Reportedly Mulls Broad 'Preemptive Pardons' - Reports
A departing Biden might offer protection to Anthony Fauci, Liz Cheney, Adam Schiff, and General Mark Milley from potential "vengeance" from Trump by issuing additional pardons. Read Full Article at RT.com
Recently, Biden pardoned his son Hunter for federal crimes for which he was convicted, encompassing actions dating back to 2014. The expansive nature of this pardon has faced scrutiny from within the president’s own party.
Democrats are eager to protect several individuals from potential “revenge” actions by Trump when he assumes office on January 20, as reported by PMG earlier this week, citing party insiders. Discussions around the pardons and potential names have involved White House Chief of Staff Jeffrey Zients and chief counsel Ed Siskel, according to CBS.
Among those mentioned for possible pardons is Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former top US public health official who played a key role in enforcing Covid-19 lockdowns and mask mandates during Trump’s presidency, and later, vaccine mandates as Biden’s lead science adviser. A recent congressional report has accused Fauci of obscuring his involvement in funding the Wuhan laboratory in China, which is believed to be the virus's origin, through a third-party intermediary.
Also considered for a pardon is retired General Mark Milley, who has referred to Trump as a “fascist” and a “wannabe dictator.” The former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff disclosed in interviews that he reached out to his Chinese counterpart before the 2020 election and following the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the US Capitol, citing concerns over Trump’s mental state.
Trump has responded to these developments by suggesting Milley should face treason charges. Milley remarked to The Atlantic in September 2023 about the potential for Trump’s return to power, saying, “He’ll start throwing people in jail, and I’d be on the top of the list.”
Former Republican congresswoman Liz Cheney, who collaborated with Democrats on the January 6 Committee and endorsed Kamala Harris this year, has also been speculated to be on the list for pardons, along with Adam Schiff, the California senator-elect who led two impeachments of Trump during his first term.
The US Constitution grants presidents the authority to pardon individuals convicted of federal offenses but does not extend this power to state or local charges. While such preemptive pardons are rare, they aren’t without precedent.
President Richard Nixon was pardoned by his successor Gerald Ford in 1974 after resigning to avoid an impeachment conviction. In 1977, Jimmy Carter issued a blanket pardon to those who evaded the draft during the Vietnam War, and in 1992, George H. W. Bush pardoned Caspar Weinberger before he could be prosecuted in connection with the Iran-Contra affair.
Thomas Evans contributed to this report for TROIB News