Before leaving office, former President Joe Biden granted pardons to several prominent figures, a move widely considered both strategic and shrewd in shielding them from potential actions under the Trump administration.
However, this decision carries significant risks and could potentially backfire.
The individuals who received pardons include Liz Cheney, a Republican congresswoman from Wyoming and co-chair of the January 6th Committee; Dr. Anthony Fauci, a leading infectious disease expert central to the COVID-19 response; and General Mark Milley, the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
In a statement released on Monday, Biden remarked, “These public servants have served our nation with honor and distinction and do not deserve to be the targets of unjustified and politically motivated prosecutions.”
Implication is that they needed the pardons… So, let’s call them all before Congress and demand the truth. If they refuse or lie – let’s test the constitutional “reach” of these pardons with regard to their future actions. https://t.co/Cu12JRTFhg
— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) January 20, 2025
If Congress calls them to testify in the future, those who received clemency—among them President Biden’s siblings and their spouses—will lose the ability to invoke the Fifth Amendment as a defense.
“The pardons are actually great news. No one who was just pardoned will be able to refuse to testify in a civil, criminal, or congressional proceeding based upon the 5th Amendment. And let’s just be realistic. Most of these disgusting individuals would probably have to be charged in Washington, DC, which doesn’t convict partisan leftists,” federal litigation attorney Jesse Binnall pointed out on X.
Critics argue that these pardons could erode trust in the justice system.
The pardons are actually great news. No one who was just pardoned will be able to refuse to testify in a civil, criminal, or congressional proceeding based upon the 5th Amendment.
And let’s just be realistic. Most of these disgusting individuals would probably have to be…
— Jesse R. Binnall (@jbinnall) January 20, 2025
Retired U.S. Army officer and attorney Kurt Schlichter shared his thoughts on the issue, emphasizing the importance of moving the proceedings out of Washington, D.C. “This is key – the depositions and the actual testimony must take place outside of Washington DC,” he posted on X.
He explained further, “Washington DC is a biased venue that will not convict Democrats when they commit perjury. Accordingly, take this show on the road.”
After the pardons were issued, Republicans on the House Oversight Committee pointed out that President Biden had already pardoned his son in the past. They stated, “Joe Biden will be remembered for using his last few weeks in office to shield his son from the law and protect himself.”
*** Except Hunter Biden, Mark Milley, Anthony Fauci, Pencil Neck, Bennie Thompson, Liz Cheney, Joe Biden, Dr. Jill, and Crazy Nancy pic.twitter.com/hI3nRD8NkA
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 20, 2025
“President Biden’s preemptive pardons for the Biden Crime Family serve as a confession of their corruption as they sold out the American people to enrich themselves. Our investigation revealed that at least ten members of the Biden Crime Family and their associates raked in over $30 million by selling Joe Biden’s influence to corrupt foreign entities and individuals in China, Russia, Ukraine, Romania, and Kazakhstan.”
Biden’s decision, made during the final hours of his presidency, could have a significant impact on the way clemency is handled in the future. Pardons might increasingly be seen as strategic tools, potentially opening the door to misuse by those in power.
All individuals benefiting from Biden’s pardons have been heavily criticized by Trump and his allies.
