WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — In a move that gained much attention in Washington, President Joe Biden issued preemptive pardons Monday for Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired General Mark Milley, members of the House committee that investigated the January 6 Capitol attack and members of his family. The pardons were issued in the final hours of Biden’s administration.
It’s a decision coming at a time when former President Donald Trump, who is returning to office in the 2024 election, has hinted that he will be targeting those whom he describes as his political enemies. He has not made it a secret that he is targeting those individuals involved in investigating his role in the January 6 insurrection or his actions in attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, and Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were both key figures in the Trump administration. Fauci frequently clashed with Trump over responses to COVID-19, while Milley drew criticism from Trump loyalists over his role in managing military affairs during the final days of the Trump presidency. Other individuals on the list are members of the Jan. 6 committee, which probed the Capitol riot. Those on the list were pardoned in advance.
Preemptive pardons were also issued to James Biden, Joe’s younger brother; Sara Jones Biden, James’ wife; Valerie Biden Owens, Joe’s younger sister; John T. Owens’, Valerie’s husband; and Francis W. Biden, Joe’s younger brother.
In a statement, Biden said “my family has been subjected to unrelenting attacks and threats, motivated solely by a desire to hurt me — the worst kind of partisan politics. Unfortunately, I have no reason to believe these attacks will end.”
He added “the issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that they engaged in any wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any offense.”
Biden stated four years ago after being elected he would not use his pardon power in such a broad way, but did issue a pardon to his son Hunter Biden late last year, who was convicted on felony gun and tax charges.
