President Joe Biden issued his anticipated preemptive pardons just hours before leaving office.
The pardons include those Biden thinks that incoming President Donald Trump will target in his second term.
It ecompasses all nine members of the House Select Committee on the January 6 Capitol Attack, which includes Trump rival and former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney and the panel’s chairman Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson.
He also is protecting former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley and White HouseCoronavirus Task Force leader Dr. Anthony Fauci – both foes of the president-elect.
Many were vying for a pardon from Biden in anticipation of being politically persecuted by leadership at Trump’s incoming Department of Justice.
Trump will take his oath of office in the early afternoon on Monday.
He is expected to sign at least 200 executive orders and actions on his first day back behind the Resolute Desk – this will include pardoning those who engaged in the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.
On his way out the door, President Joe Biden issue preemptive pardons for several that he thinks will be targeted by Donald Trump in his second term
‘Our nation relies on dedicated, selfless public servants every day. They are the lifeblood of our democracy,’ Biden wrote in a statement on the pardons on Monday morning. ‘Yet alarmingly, public servants have been subjected to ongoing threats and intimidation for faithfully discharging their duties.’
‘That is why I am exercising my authority under the Constitution to pardon General Mark A. Milley, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the Members of Congress and staff who served on the Select Committee, and the U.S. Capitol and D.C. Metropolitan police officers who testified before the Select Committee,’ the president announced.
‘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,’ he continued. ‘Our nation owes these public servants a debt of gratitude for their tireless commitment to our country.’
Biden and first lady Jill Biden are in the middle of vacating the White House Monday morning before the inauguration activities.
At noon, Trump will be sworn in as president and move back into the White House for a second four-year term.

Former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney are among those who Biden issued preemptive pardons for on Monday, which included all eight of her colleagues who served on the House Select Committee on the January 6 Capitol Attack
The first pardon Biden issued after losing the 2024 presidential election to Trump was for his son Hunter Biden, 54, who was convicted on felony tax charges as well as federal crimes for lying in 2018 about his drug use on a form to purchase a firearm.
This came to the ire of Democrats who felt it would give Trump permission to issue sweeping pardons without fear of being accused of hypocrisy.
And the same day Biden pardoned his son, Trump announced he would pardon January 6 defendants who were charged with crimes related to the Capitol attack.
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