Biden Weighs Pre-emptive Pardons for High-Profile Opponents
Apparently, outgoing US President Joe Biden is weighing up the issuing of pre-emptive pardons to high-profile opponents of his successor, Donald Trump, sources said. Several officials privy to the consultations said this would be the president's move to prevent them from falling prey to possible reprisals at the hands of Trump, who has said he would target those opposed to him in revenge.
Discussions with White House Officials
According to CBS, Biden has reportedly discussed the potential for these pardons with senior White House officials but has made no formal recommendations of specific individuals yet.
Considerations on Pardons for Unconvicted Individuals
Further, sources report that the Biden administration is considering the implications of issuing pardons to those individuals who have not been convicted of any crimes. This is after the backlash faced by Biden for pardoning his son, Hunter Biden, who was facing federal charges in gun and tax offenses.
Potential Individuals for Pre-emptive Pardons
Reports indicate those individuals who may be put in the queue for an advance pardon by Biden might be people like Dr. Anthony Fauci, vocal against Trump's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and California Senator-elect Adam Schiff, who led the drive to impeach Trump the first time. It could also include other Democratic senators who participated in either impeachment process or the investigation into the January 2021 storming of the U.S. Capitol.
Schiff’s Opposition to Pre-emptive Pardons
In an interview with NPR recently, Schiff said he opposes the idea of pre-emptive pardons. He believes that the courts can stand up to any threats from Trump. "I think this is frankly so implausible as not to be worthy of much consideration," Schiff said. He also advised Biden against pursuing such pardons, saying they could appear defensive and unnecessary.
White House Confirms Possible Pardons Before Biden’s Term Ends
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed earlier this week that maybe more pardons would soon be released by the close of Biden's term early in January without any specificity. "He's really thinking through that process very meticulously," she said.
Traditional Pardons for Non-Violent Crimes
This aside, according to CBS, more pardons he may make the old-fashioned way—those committed of less egregious crimes under the category of non-violent crimes of drug-related offenses.
Trump’s Retribution Threats and Kash Patel’s Remarks
But Trump is not alone in his threats of retribution against those who have opposed him. His nominee for FBI director, Kash Patel, has said he will pursue legal action against politicians and members of the media whom he claims helped undermine the results of the 2020 election. Patel said, "We're going to come after you, whether it's criminally or civilly," adding, "We'll figure that out. But yeah, we're putting you all on notice."
Boyle's Criticism and Call for Blanket Pardons
In response, Democratic Congressman Brendan Boyle countered that Biden should issue blanket pardons for those on what he described as Trump's "enemies list." Boyle criticized Trump's choice of Patel as FBI Director, saying that it indicated that Trump was more focused on personal vendettas than on protecting the American people or upholding the rule of law.
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