The outgoing president of the United States, Joe Biden, took advantage of his last hours in the White House to grant several preventive pardons in an attempt to protect Donald Trump’s public servants.
mr biden He said those who receive pardons have been “subjected to continuous threats and intimidation for faithfully carrying out their duties” and in some cases have been threatened with criminal proceedings.
It comes after the president-elect warned of an “enemies list,” made up of people who have crossed him politically or tried to hold him accountable for his attempt to overturn the 2020 election and his role in the 6/6 riots. January.
Among those granted clemency is Dr. Anthony Fauci, who helped coordinate the U.S. response to COVID but drew Trump’s ire when he refused to back up his baseless claims about the virus.
Retired general Mark Milley, who previously called the president-elect a fascist and detailed his conduct surrounding the 2021 insurrection, also received a pardon.
“I can’t in good conscience do anything,” Biden said Monday.
“Baseless and politically motivated investigations wreak havoc on the lives, safety and financial security of targeted individuals and their families.”
Trump reacted to the pardons in a text message to Sky Information’s American network partner, NBC Information, calling the measure “shameful” and claiming, without any evidence, that many of the people pardoned were “guilty of serious crimes.”
Dr. Fauci told US broadcaster ABC that he “really appreciates” Biden’s pardon.
“I have not committed any crime… and there are no possible grounds for any accusation or threat of criminal investigation or prosecution against me,” he said.
Basic Milley added: “I do not wish to spend the remaining time the Lord grants me fighting those who might unjustly seek revenge for perceived slights.
“I don’t want to put my family, my friends and those I served with through the resulting distraction, expense and anxiety.”
Members and staff of the House Select Committee, which investigated the January 6 riots and police officers who testified before that committee, have also been pardoned.
Liz Cheney with Mr. Biden. Photo: Reuters
Committee members included Senator Adam Schiff, former Representatives Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, Elaine Luria, Stephanie Murphy, Pete Aguilar, Zoe Lofgren, Jamie Raskin and Bennie Thompson.
Committee heads Cheney and Thompson said Biden’s pardons “are not to break the law but to defend it.”
Among the police officers who testified before the committee were Harry Dunn, Aquilino Gonell, Michael Fanone and Daniel Hodges.
The committee’s final report found that Trump criminally engaged in a “multi-party conspiracy” to overturn the legal results of the 2020 presidential election and took no action to prevent his supporters from attacking the Capitol.
Biden has set the presidential record for most individual pardons and commutations granted.
On Friday he announced that he would reduce the sentences of nearly 2,500 people convicted of nonviolent drug crimes.
This is in addition to the 37 people currently on death row, whose sentences were converted to life in prison.
