Biden’s Last Act: pardoning Fauci, Milley, and Cheney against possible "revenge" of Trump
On his last day, President Joe Biden used his executive clemency power to protect individuals targeted by his incoming successor, Donald Trump, who has vowed "retribution."
President Biden acted just hours before leaving office today, issuing pre-emptive pardons to shield some of President-elect Donald Trump's most high-profile opponents from a promised campaign of "retribution." These actions aim to prevent politically motivated prosecutions.
Who benefited from this action?
Among those receiving pardons were General Mark Milley, the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Dr. Anthony Fauci, a long-serving government scientist; and all members of the bipartisan House committee that investigated the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, including former Representative, Liz Cheney, a Republican from Wyoming.
"I believe in the rule of law, and I remain optimistic that the strength of our legal institutions will ultimately prevail over politics," Biden stated. "But these are exceptional circumstances, and I cannot, in good conscience, stand by and do nothing. Baseless and politically motivated investigations wreak havoc on the lives, safety, and financial security of affected individuals and their families.
"Even when people have done nothing wrong (and, in fact, have done the right thing) and will ultimately be exonerated, the mere fact of being investigated or prosecuted can irreparably damage their reputations and finances," he added.
Biden emphasized that the pardons were not issued because the recipients committed any crimes. "The issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that any individual engaged in wrongdoing, nor should their acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any offense," he clarified.
Dr. Fauci during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Photo: Reuters
How was this planned by Trump?
Throughout his campaign last year, Trump threatened to prosecute Democrats, election workers, law enforcement officials, intelligence officers, reporters, former staff members, and Republicans who don't support him, often without specifying any particular criminal activity.
General Milley, Ms. Cheney, and Dr. Fauci were among those Trump and his allies specifically named. Biden also extended pardons to the entire staff of the January 6 investigation committee, as well as to the Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department officers who testified during the inquiry.
Trump has declared his intent to "appoint a real special prosecutor to go after" Biden and his family. Previously, Biden issued a pardon to his son, Hunter, covering any potential crimes over an 11-year period. However, the president didn’t include himself or other family members in the pre-emptive pardons announced today.
Biden’s pardons didn’t extend to various other potential Trump targets, including federal and state prosecutors who indicted the incoming president for attempting to overturn the 2020 election. Of the four criminal indictments against Trump, three have been dismissed or effectively neutralized by his return to the presidency. However, his conviction on 34 felonies in the hush money case remains, making him the first convicted felon to be inaugurated as president.