President Joe Biden has issued preemptive pardons to Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired Gen. Mark Milley and members of the Jan. 6 House committee just hours before Donald Trump‘s inauguration. Biden made the move to guard against possible “revenge” from Trump’s administration, according to the Associated Press.
“The issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that any individual engaged in any wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any offense,” Biden said in a statement given to the AP. “Our nation owes these public servants a debt of gratitude for their tireless commitment to our country.”
It’s a bold eleventh-hour action from Biden, as clemency is typically offered to those who have already been convicted of crimes. Fauci, Milley and members of the House committee to investigate the events of Jan. 6 — which includes Liz Cheney — have not been formally investigated yet, but Trump has threatened to prosecute those who have not supported him once he takes office.
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“These are exceptional circumstances, and I cannot in good conscience do nothing,” Biden continued. “Even when individuals have done nothing wrong — and in fact have done the right thing — and will ultimately be exonerated, the mere fact of being investigated or prosecuted can irreparably damage reputations and finances.”
Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who led the nation’s COVID-19 response, frequently butted heads with Trump during the pandemic when he refused to back his claims. Milley, the former chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, condemned the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and has previously called Trump a “fascist to the core.” Cheney, though a Republican, has also been a vocal opposer of Trump, supporting his impeachment following Jan. 6 and endorsing Kamala Harris for president.
Other members of the Jan. 6 committee who have been preemptively pardoned include Bennie Thompson, Zoe Lofgren, Adam Schiff, Pete Aguilar, Stephanie Murphy, Jamie Raskin, Elaine Luria, Adam Kinzinger and the U.S. Capitol and D.C. police officers who testified as witnesses.
Trump’s inauguration as the 47th President of the United States will begin at 12 p.m. ET.