Joe Biden preemptively pardons Milley, Fauci, and members of the January 6 committee in the last hours of his presidency.
US President Joe Biden granted preemptive pardons to a number of important individuals in the final hours of his presidency, including retired General Mark Milley, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and members of the House committee that looked into the Capitol attack on January 6.Biden is pardoning these people in an effort to shield them from possible "revenge" moves by the incoming Trump administration, which has stated plans to target those who were involved in former President Donald Trump's investigations.
Biden's choice follows remarks made by Trump in public. Trump has already vowed to take legal action against anyone who has attempted to hold him responsible for his involvement in the January 6th attack and his attempts to void the results of the 2020 election. Even though the awardees did not formally acknowledge any wrongdoing or criminal action, the pardons were nonetheless issued.
President Biden clarified in a statement that these pardons are not to be interpreted as an admission of guilt. In a statement, Biden stated, "The granting of these pardons should not be interpreted as an admission of guilt for any offense, nor should acceptance be interpreted as an acknowledgment that any individual engaged in any wrongdoing."
"Our nation owes these public servants a debt of gratitude for their tireless commitment to our country," he said, emphasising that the pardoned persons have served the country with dedication.
Such acts of mercy usually go to regular Americans who have been convicted of crimes, even though it is normal for a president to offer clemency at the end of their tenure. But Biden has used his pardon authority in a way never seen before, granting it to people who haven't even been the subject of an investigation.
"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 harm them," Biden stated, adding, "These are exceptional circumstances, and I cannot in good conscience do nothing."
The US response to the COVID-19 pandemic was mostly coordinated by Dr. Anthony Fauci, who was President Biden's senior medical advisor until his retirement in 2022 and had been the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for almost 40 years.
He was harshly criticized by former President Trump and his followers for not endorsing his baseless allegations. Conservatives have since sharply criticized Fauci, accusing him of enforcing laws such as mask mandates during the pandemic despite the high death toll in the country.
He was harshly criticized by former President Trump and his followers for not endorsing his baseless allegations. Conservatives have since sharply criticized Fauci, accusing him of enforcing laws such as mask mandates during the pandemic despite the high death toll in the country.
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