US media reports that those who could be in line for a potential preemptive pardon from Biden include Dr. Anthony Fauci, who has been critical of Trump’s response to Covid, and Senator-elect of California Adam Schiff, who led the first attempt to impeach Trump.
Other Democrats who, like Schiff, have been involved in or under investigation into Trump’s impeachment cases Riots at the US Capitol in 2021may also be provided by them.
In an interview with NPR last month, Schiff said he doesn’t think preemptive pardons are a good idea because he believes the courts are capable of standing up to Donald Trump’s threats.
“I think it’s frankly so implausible that it doesn’t deserve much attention,” he said of reports that such pardons were being considered.
“I would urge the president not to do that. I think it would look defensive and unnecessary.”
White House press secretary Karin Jean-Pierre said earlier this week that President Biden could expect more pardons before his term expires in January, but did not elaborate.
“He thinks the process through very carefully.”
Among those who could receive a more traditional presidential pardon for crimes committed are non-violent drug offenders or others who have served time for various assaults, CBS reported.
Donald Trump is not the only person to threaten retribution against those who are believed to have opposed him in the past. His nominee for FBI director, Cash Patel, has said he will go after politicians and members of the media who he claims, without evidence, helped overturn the results of the 2020 US presidential election.
“We’re going to come after you, whether it’s criminally or civilly,” Patel said.
“We will deal with it. But yes, we’re putting you all on notice … We’re actually going to use the Constitution to hold them accountable for crimes that they say we’ve always been guilty of, but we never were.”
Democratic Congressman Brendan Boyle responded by saying that he thinks Biden should pardon those on what he called Donald Trump’s “enemies list.”
“By selecting Cash Patel as his FBI director, Trump has made it clear that he is more focused on settling personal scores than protecting the American people or upholding the rule of law,” Boyle said.
