In what comes as a last-minute decision, US President Joe Biden on Monday pardoned Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired General Mark Milley and members of the House committee that investigated the Capitol Hill attacks of January 6, 2021. Biden used extraordinary powers of his office in his final hours to guard against potential “revenge” by the incoming Trump administration.
“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.
This move from Biden comes after US President-elect warned of an enemies list filled with those who have crossed him politically or sought to hold him accountable for his attempt to overturn his 2020 election loss and his role in the storming of the US Capitol on Jan.6, 2021.
Trump has selected Cabinet nominees who backed his election lies and who have pledged to punish those involved in efforts to investigate him.
In the United States, Presidents generally grant clemency at the end of their terms. These acts of mercy are usually offered to everyday Americans who have been convicted of crimes.
However, Biden has made use of the extraordinary powers of his office to 'pardon those who have not even been investigated yet'.