Biden grants pardons to defend family and Trump’s targets

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WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden has issued preemptive pardons to several of his family members and key figures, including former Congresswoman Liz Cheney and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in response to apparent threats of legal action by former President Donald Trump. Also included is Mark Milley of the staff. .

The pardon, issued in the final hours of Biden’s presidency, covers the select committee investigating the storming of the US Capitol by Trump supporters on January 6, 2021, as well as all lawmakers, including Cheney, who have Served in committee and police. Officers who testified before him. He also covered Anthony Fauci, who served as the White House’s chief medical adviser during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Trump, who was sworn in as president on Monday, has called for prosecutions of his perceived enemies since winning the White House in November.

Biden called public employees “the lifeblood of our democracy.” Without naming Trump, he expressed concern that some of them were intimidated and intimidated into doing their jobs.

“These public servants have served our nation with honor and distinction and do not deserve to be subjected to unjustified and politically motivated prosecutions,” Biden said in a statement.

Just before handing office to Trump, Biden also pardoned five of his family members, saying he wanted to protect them from politically motivated investigations.

He pardoned his siblings – James Biden, Frank Biden and Valerie Biden Owens – as well as their spouses John Owens and Sarah Biden.

“My family has been subjected to relentless attacks and threats, motivated only by a desire to hurt me — partisan politics at its worst,” Biden said. “Unfortunately, I have no reason to believe that these attacks will stop.”

In December, Biden pardoned his son Hunter after repeatedly saying he wouldn’t do it. Hunter is a recovering drug addict who became a target of Republicans and pleaded guilty to tax violations and was convicted on firearms charges.

Biden also commuted the life sentence of Native American activist Leonard Peltier, who has served nearly five decades for the 1975 murder of two FBI agents.

The US Constitution gives the president broad pardon powers for federal crimes. Although amnesties are usually granted to those who have been prosecuted, they can cover conduct that has not resulted in prosecution.

“This is shameful. Many are guilty of major crimes! DJT,” NBC reporter Kristen Welker said in a text message to Trump. Trump made the comments before Biden issued a last-minute apology to his family.

Trump backed calls in December for the FBI to investigate Cheney’s role in leading a congressional investigation into the Jan. 6 attack.

Cheney and Democratic Rep. Benny Thompson, the committee’s vice chairs, thanked Biden for acknowledging the threats and harassment against him and his family.

“Today we are pardoned not for breaking the law, but for keeping it,” he said in a statement.

Fauci often clashed with Trump during the pandemic, and Trump supporters have continued to attack the former health official.

Fauci told Reuters that the White House had been approached about the issue a month ago and had not apologized. “I appreciate the president reaching out and trying to protect me from baseless accusations,” Fauci said. “I have done nothing wrong and this is not an admission of guilt.”

Milley, who was Trump’s top military adviser between 2019 and early 2021, said in a statement that he was “very grateful” for Biden’s pardon.

‘Extraordinary Circumstances’

Trump’s animosity with Millie was deep.

After the January 6 attack, Milley called Beijing to reassure China of American stability. In a social media post, Trump called the phone call “an act so despicable that in times past it would have been punishable by death.”

Some of Trump’s supporters, viewing Millie as disloyal, demanded that she be recalled to active duty and tried for treason.

Milley took a veiled jab at Trump during his 2023 retirement speech, saying that US soldiers swear an oath to the US Constitution and not an “aspiring dictator”.

Later in the day, Trump launched a series of tirade against Millie, calling her “slow-moving and slow-thinking” and “stupid.”

Milley was quoted in Bob Woodward’s book “War,” published last year, as calling Trump “a fascist to the core.” And Trump allies targeted him for perceived disloyalty to Trump.

Reuters reported in November that Trump’s transition team was preparing a list of military officers seen as connected to Milley to be fired.

Pat Hegseth, Trump’s pick to lead the Pentagon, has repeatedly lashed out at Millie in his latest book.

Biden praised both Milley and Fauci as longtime dedicated public servants who defended democracy and saved lives. He said that the Select Committee set up to investigate the January 6 attack has fulfilled its mission with full integrity.

Without identifying the individuals, he pardoned all members of Congress who served on the panel, their staff and U.S. Capitol and Washington, D.C., police officers who testified before the committee.

Biden said those pardoned had done nothing wrong, but simply being investigated or prosecuted could cause reputational and financial damage.

“I believe in the rule of law, and I am optimistic that the power of our legal institutions will ultimately prevail over politics,” he said. “But these are extraordinary circumstances, and there is nothing I can do in good conscience.”

The pardons of Cheney, Milley and Fauci drew criticism from Trump allies, including U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green, who said on X that the officials were pardoned “because they are guilty of crimes.”