Washington (CNN) — On Monday, President Joe Biden granted a significant series of preemptive pardons to high-profile critics of President-elect Donald Trump, as well as members of his own family. By exercising his executive powers, Biden sought to protect against potential retribution from his incoming successor and ensure that his relatives would be shielded from any future legal challenges.
Clemency for General Mark Milley, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and members of Congress who served on the committee investigating the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack was announced early Monday morning. In the final moments before Donald Trump was set to be inaugurated as the 47th president, President Biden also granted pardons to his family members: brothers James and Frank, sister Valerie, and their spouses.
These pardons, issued in the waning hours of Biden’s presidency, represent an unprecedented use of presidential power in recent history. They also serve to shield prominent critics of the incoming president, including former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, whom Trump has threatened with retribution.
But they also protect his close family members and potentially establish a precedent the new president will use to protect his own allies from criminal prosecution.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,” Biden said in a statement released as the inauguration ceremony was underway at the US Capitol.
Biden’s extraordinary decision to announce pardons for multiple members of his family in his final minutes as president was fueled, in part, by Trump’s public vow to appoint a special prosecutor to “go after” Biden and his family, according to a source familiar with his thinking.
A number of Biden’s family members had testified before a House Oversight panel looking into accusations of influence peddling.
إرسال تعليق