January 20, 2025
In a significant move on his final day in office, President Joe Biden issued preemptive pardons to several prominent figures, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, General Mark Milley, and members of the House committee that investigated the January 6 Capitol attack. These pardons aim to protect the individuals from potential future prosecutions under the incoming Trump administration.
Dr. Fauci, who led the U.S. response to the COVID-19 pandemic, expressed gratitude for the pardon but emphasized that he had committed no crime. He stated, "I have committed no crime, and there are no possible grounds for any allegation or threat of criminal investigation or prosecution of me." Fauci added that the threat of politically motivated prosecution had caused "immeasurable and intolerable distress" for him and his family.
General Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and members of the January 6 committee, including Liz Cheney and Adam Schiff, also received pardons. These individuals had faced criticism and threats from the incoming administration.
President Biden defended his decision, stating that these individuals did not deserve to be targeted by unjustified political prosecutions. He emphasized that the pardons were a protective measure against potential future unfounded prosecutions by the new administration.
The pardons have sparked controversy, with critics suggesting they reveal hidden misconduct. However, those pardoned have expressed gratitude, highlighting the undue distress caused by the threats they faced.
As President Biden prepares to leave office, he has set a record for the most pardons and commutations by a U.S. president, including the commutation of sentences for thousands convicted of nonviolent drug offenses.
The incoming Trump administration has signaled plans to undo many of Biden's policies through a flurry of executive orders aimed at immigration, climate policies, and other key issues.
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