The U.S President, Joe Biden, has granted preemptive pardons to three individuals who have been the focus of President-elect Donald Trump’s criticism to protect them from prosecution under the incoming administration.
The pardons cover retired Gen. Mark Milley, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Also pardoned are lawmakers involved in the House committee that investigated the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, which includes former Liz Cheney of Wyoming, Adam Kinzinger of Illinois; and Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif.
“These public servants have served our nation with honour and distinction and do not deserve to be the targets of unjustified and politically motivated prosecutions,” Biden said in a statement.
“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,” he added.
Trump has repeatedly vowed to pursue legal action against his political opponents, labelling Milley a “traitor” and blaming Fauci for the national COVID-19 response. He has also accused members of the January 6 committee of conducting a partisan investigation against him.
The pardons follow a similar measure taken by Biden in December when he issued a sweeping pardon for his son, Hunter Biden, shielding him from current and potential future charges related to gun and tax offences.
According to White House officials, discussions regarding these latest pardons have been ongoing for weeks, with some Democratic lawmakers, pushing for the action following Trump’s repeated threats to after his opponents once he takes office, appointing Kash Patel to replace Christopher Wray as FBI director.
Biden’s supporters have advocated that the pardons are a necessary safeguard against politically driven prosecutions that could undermine public servants’ ability to carry out their duties without fear of retaliation.