In his final steps, US President Joe Biden issued ‘early’ pardons to several officials and close family members in view of concerns about ‘politically motivated prosecutions’ under the new Trump administration.
According to reports from international news agencies, taking an extraordinary step in his final hours at the White House, Biden also pardoned members, staff and eyewitnesses of the US House of Representatives committee investigating the violent attack on the US Capitol by Donald Trump supporters on January 6, 2021.
In a statement, Joe Biden said that ‘these public servants have served our nation with honor and dignity and do not deserve to be subjected to unfair and politically motivated prosecutions’. These are extraordinary circumstances, and I cannot do anything in good conscience.
Donald Trump, who was sworn in as US president last night, has repeatedly vowed ‘revenge’ against his political opponents and has threatened some with criminal action.
Former Covid-19 adviser Anthony Fauci and retired General Mark Milley are among those pardoned by outgoing President Joe Biden.
Fauci had become the face of America’s ‘war’ against the Covid pandemic, but his outspoken comments about the disease during Trump’s first term put him at odds with the Republican Party.
The comments have turned the scientist into a hate figure for many on the right, including Trump ally and the world’s richest man Elon Musk, who has repeatedly called for Fauci to be prosecuted.
Trump was angered when Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during his first term, told journalist Bob Woodward that Trump was ‘basically a fascist’ and ‘the most dangerous person to this country.’
Gen. Milley also revealed that he had secretly called his Chinese counterpart after the Capitol attack to reassure Beijing that the United States was “stable” and had no intention of attacking China.
In a statement, Mark Milley thanked Biden for his executive action.
The former general said that he did not want to waste the time God has given me fighting people who may seek to retaliate for injustice.
According to US media, Fauci thanked Biden for the apology but stressed that “I did not commit any crime.”
Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr. has urged Fauci to “revoke the apology if he did nothing wrong.”
Biden wrote that baseless and politically motivated investigations destroy the lives, safety and financial security of the targeted individuals and their families.
