Dr. Fauci, Schiff, Cheney: Biden weighs preemptive pardons ahead of Trump term

Dec 05, 2024

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Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)

The Biden administration is considering issuing preemptive pardons for several public officials, according to sources close to the discussions who spoke with Politico. These pardons could be granted to individuals who senior aides believe may be targeted by President-elect Donald Trump.

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The potential pardons could include high-profile figures who have been outspoken against Trump, such as Senator-elect Adam Schiff of California, former Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney and Dr. Anthony Fauci, a key figure in U.S. health policy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The White House is weighing the legal and political risks of offering preemptive pardons to individuals who are not currently facing criminal charges but could be protected from future prosecution if charges were later brought.

Some of those reportedly being considered for pardons have already expressed hesitation. Schiff has said he would “urge the president not to do that,” noting that such a move “would seem defensive and unnecessary.”

In June 2024, Trump posted on Truth Social that the January 6th Select Committee should be indicted, accusing members of deleting and destroying evidence. However, Trump has also stated that he will not target political opponents, asserting his revenge will be his success.

The discussions about potential pardons come after Biden pardoned his son, Hunter, a move that has received mixed reactions. Some Democrats have called on Biden to issue additional pardons.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries issued a statement urging Biden to use his final weeks in office to extend “the high level of compassion he has consistently demonstrated throughout his life.” Jeffries called for pardons on a case-by-case basis for working-class Americans in the federal prison system who have been negatively impacted by aggressive prosecutions for nonviolent offenses.

Tags: Adam Schiff, Anthony Fauci, Donald Trump, Hunter Biden, Jan. 6, Joe Biden, Liz Cheney, Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol, White House

THE BIDEN WHITE HOUSE IS DEBATING WHETHER TO ISSUE **PREEMPTIVE PARDONS FOR SEVERAL PUBLIC OFFICIALS.

THE PARDONS WOULD BE FOR PEOPLE BIDEN’S SENIOR AIDES BELIEVE COULD BE TARGETED BY PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP.

SOURCES CLOSE TO THE DISCUSSIONS TOLD POLITICO THE PARDONS COULD GO TO HIGH-PROFILE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN OUTSPOKEN AGAINST TRUMP –

LIKE SENATOR-ELECT ADAM SCHIFF OF CALIFORNIA, REPUBLICAN FORMER CONGRESSWOMAN LIZ CHENEY WHO JOINED KAMALA HARRIS ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, AND DOCTOR ANTHONY FAUCI –

A KEY FIGURE IN HOW THE U.S. SHAPED ITS HEALTH POLICY DURING THE PANDEMIC.

THE WHITE HOUSE IS WEIGHING THE LEGAL AND POLITICAL RISKS OF OFFERING PREEMPTIVE PARDONS TO PEOPLE WHO AREN’T CHARGED WITH ANY CRIMES TODAY – BUT WOULD BE PROTECTED FROM FUTURE PROSECUTION – IN CASE CHARGES WERE TO LATER BE BROUGHT.

SOME OF THOSE WHO ARE REPORTEDLY BEING CONSIDERED FOR PARDONS – HAVE ALREADY QUESTIONED THE IDEA OF ACCEPTING ONE.

SCHIFF SAYS HE WOULD “URGE THE PRESIDENT NOT TO DO THAT” BECAUSE HE SAYS “IT WOULD SEEM DEFENSIVE AND UNNECESSARY.”

TRUMP POSTED ON TRUTH SOCIAL IN JUNE THAT THE JANUARY SIXTH SELECT COMMITTEE SHOULD BE INDICTED – ASSERTING THEY DELETED AND DESTROYED EVIDENCE.

BUT HAS ALSO SAID HE WILL NOT GO AFTER POLITICAL OPPONENTS – INSTEAD SAYING QUOTE “HIS REVENGE WILL BE HIS SUCCESS.”

THE TALKS OF POTENTIAL PARDONS COME AFTER BIDEN PARDONED HIS SON HUNTER –

AND THE REACTION TO THE PARDON – HAS BEEN MIXED.

SOME DEMOCRATS THEN CALLED ON BIDEN TO ISSUE MORE PARDONS AS A MEANS TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT.

HOUSE MINORITY LEADER HAKEEM JEFFRIES SAYING IN A STATEMENT –

“During his final weeks in office, President Biden should exercise the high level of compassion he has consistently demonstrated throughout his life, including toward his son, and pardon on a case-by-case basis the working-class Americans in the federal prison system whose lives have been ruined by unjustly aggressive prosecutions for nonviolent offenses.”

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