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Joe Biden. Picture: MANDEL NGAN/REUTERS
Joe Biden. Picture: MANDEL NGAN/REUTERS

Washington — Outgoing US President Joe Biden issued pre-emptive pardons on Monday for people Republican successor Donald Trump has targeted for retaliation, including former Republican legislator Liz Cheney, former chair of the joint chiefs of staff Mark Milley and former White House chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci.

The pardon covers all legislators, including Cheney, who served on the congressional select committee that investigated the January 6 2021, storming of the US Capitol by Trump supporters, as well as police officers who testified before it.

Trump, who returns to the presidency later on Monday, has repeatedly called for the prosecution of his perceived enemies since winning the White House in November.

Biden praised public servants as the “lifeblood of our democracy”. Without mentioning Trump, he expressed alarm that some of them were subjected to threats and intimidation for doing their job.

“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.

Milley said he was “deeply grateful” for Biden’s pardon.

Trump in December backed a call for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to investigate fellow Republican Cheney over her role in leading Congress’ probe of the assault on the Capitol.

Fauci often clashed with Trump during the Covid-19 pandemic, and Trump’s supporters have continued to attack the former senior health official.

Milley was quoted in the book, War, by Bob Woodward, which was published in December, calling Trump “fascist to the core” and Trump’s allies have targeted him for perceived disloyalty to the former president.

Reuters reported in November that the Trump transition team was drawing up a list of military officers seen as connected to Milley to be fired.

Biden praised both Milley and Fauci as long-serving, dedicated public servants who had defended democracy and saved lives.

He said the select committee established to investigate the January 6 attack had fulfilled its mission with integrity.

Biden said that those he had pardoned had done nothing wrong, but that simply being investigated or prosecuted could harm reputations and finances.

“I believe in the rule of law, and I am optimistic that the strength of our legal institutions will ultimately prevail over politics,” he said. “But these are exceptional circumstances, and I cannot in good conscience do nothing.”

The pardons drew immediate criticism from Trump allies including US representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who said on X the officials were pardoned “because they are GUILTY OF CRIMES”.

Reuters

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