Biden offers first pardon for family of Trump target Cheney, Milley, Fauci Via Reuters

By Doina Chiacu, Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali and Nandita Bose

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Joe Biden issued the first pardons on Monday for several members of his family and people his successor Donald Trump has targeted for retaliation, including former Republican lawmakers Liz Cheney and Mark Milley. , former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The apology, issued in Biden’s final hours as president, covers the select committee that investigated the January 6, 2021, bombing of the US Capitol by Trump supporters, as well as lawmakers, including Cheney , who served on the congressional committee and the police. officers who testified before it. They also covered Anthony Fauci, who served as the White House’s chief medical adviser during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Trump, who was sworn in as president on Monday, has repeatedly called for the prosecution of his perceived enemies since taking the White House in November.

Biden praised public servants as “the lifeblood of our democracy.” In addition to talking about Trump, he was afraid that some of them were threatened and intimidated because of doing their job.

“These public servants have served our nation with honor and distinction and do not deserve to be the targets of baseless and politically motivated accusations,” Biden said.

Shortly before handing over the office to Trump, Biden also pardoned five members of his family, saying he wanted to protect them from politically motivated investigations.

He pardoned his siblings – James Biden, Frank Biden and Valerie Biden Owens – as well as their spouses, John Owens and Sara Biden.

“My family has been subjected to constant attacks and threats, motivated only by the desire to hurt me – the worst form of biased politics,” Biden said. “Unfortunately, I have no reason to believe that these attacks will end.”

In December, Biden pardoned his son Hunter after he repeatedly said he would not. Hunter is a recovering drug addict who became a Republican victim and pleaded guilty to tax evasion and was convicted on gun-related charges.

Biden also commuted the life sentence imposed on Native American activist Leonard Peltier, who was imprisoned for nearly fifty years for the 1975 murders of two FBI agents.

The US Constitution gives the president broad pardon powers for federal crimes. Although amnesty is usually granted to accused persons, it can cover conduct that did not result in legal proceedings.

“It’s a shame. Many are guilty of GOOD IMAGES! DJT” NBC reporter Kristen Welker quoted Trump as telling him about the text message. Trump said this before Biden offered a last-minute pardon for his family members.

Trump in December backed a call for the FBI to investigate Cheney for his role in leading a congressional investigation into the January 6 attack.

Cheney and Democratic Representative Bennie Thompson, the committee’s vice chair, thanked Biden for recognizing the threats and abuse they and their families endured.

“We are forgiven today, not for breaking the law but for keeping it,” they said in a statement.

Fauci has been at odds with Trump during the pandemic, and Trump supporters have continued to attack the former health official.

Fauci told Reuters that the White House was approached about the matter last month and has not yet apologized. “Thank you to the president for trying to defend me against baseless accusations,” Fauci said. “I did nothing wrong and this is not an admission of guilt.”

Milley, who was Trump’s top military adviser between 2019 and early 2021, said in a statement that he was “very grateful” for Biden’s apology.

‘SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES’

Trump’s rivalry with Milley deepened.

After the attack on Jan. 6, Milley called Beijing to reassure China of US stability. Trump, in a social media post, described the call as “an act so heinous that, in times past, the penalty would have been DEATH.”

Some Trump supporters, seeing Milley as dishonest, called for him to be impeached and tried for treason.

Milley swore at Trump during his retirement speech in 2023, saying the US military swears an oath to the US Constitution and not a “wanting tyrant”.

Trump later that day lashed out at her with a barrage of insults, calling Milley a “slow thinker” and a “moron.”

Milley is quoted in the book “War” by Bob Woodward (NASDAQ:), published last year, called Trump a “fascist to the core,” and Trump’s allies targeted him for being disloyal to Trump.

Reuters reported in November that Trump’s transition team was putting together a list of military officials seen as connected to Milley to be fired.

Pete Hegseth, Trump’s nominee to lead the Pentagon, criticized Milley repeatedly in his latest book, using profanity.

Biden praised Milley and Fauci as longtime dedicated public servants who have protected democracy and saved lives. He said that the appointed committee established to investigate the January 6 attack has fulfilled its mission faithfully.

Without identifying individuals, he pardoned all the members of Congress who worked in court, their staff and the US Capitol and Washington, DC, police officers who testified before the committee.

Biden said those who were pardoned had done nothing wrong, but that just being investigated or prosecuted could damage reputations and finances.

“I believe in the rule of law, and I am confident that the power of our law enforcement agencies will prevail over politics,” he said. But these are exceptional circumstances, and I can’t do anything in good conscience.

The pardons of Cheney, Milley and Fauci were criticized by Trump allies including US Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who told X the officials were pardoned “because they are GUILTY.”