President Joe Biden and his aides are reportedly discussing issuing pre-emptive pardons for individuals who have been targeted by President-elect Donald Trump. Some names discussed include Senator-elect Adam Schiff, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and former Rep. Liz Cheney, but no consensus has been reached on a final list. The idea of pre-emptive pardons has some support from Democrats and “Never Trump” Republicans to protect individuals in case of a new Trump presidency.
Previous presidents have issued pre-emptive pardons for individuals in the past, including George H.W. Bush for Caspar Weinberger and Gerald Ford for Richard Nixon. Trump made threatening comments during the 2024 campaign towards people he felt had wronged him, such as calling Cheney a “radical war hawk” and criticizing Schiff’s role in the impeachment. Fauci and Trump had a strained relationship during Trump’s first term, with Trump publicly attacking Fauci.
In addition to discussing pre-emptive pardons, the Biden administration is also focusing on clemency for criminal justice cases, with advocates pushing for action on various cases. Announcements on these decisions are expected in the coming weeks. Kelly O’Donnell, Gabe Gutierrez, Rebecca Shabad, and Vaughn Hillyard contributed to the reporting on this topic.
Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com