Former President Joe Biden has issued preemptive pardons for members and staff of the now-dissolved House Jan. 6 committee, along with police officers who testified.
The Hill reported that Biden announced the pardons, a measure he described as necessary to safeguard his allies from political retribution. This massive clemency effort includes not only the politicians on the committee but also the supporting staff and officers who provided firsthand accounts of the events surrounding January 6, 2021.
The January 6 committee, which was dissolved before the pardons, was originally chaired by Rep. Bennie Thompson and vice-chaired by former Rep. Liz Cheney.
Its creation and investigations focused heavily on the attack at the U.S. Capitol, aiming to present a comprehensive account of the day's events and subsequent attempts to undermine the electoral result.
The committee was made up of members including Adam Kinzinger, Elaine Luria, Stephanie Murphy, Zoe Lofgren, Pete Aguilar, and Jamie Raskin, all of whom have now been shielded from any potential legal repercussions.
Despite being a recipient himself, Sen. Adam Schiff voiced significant reservations about the measures taken by Biden, labeling them as "unnecessary" and "unwise." Schiff expressed concern over the precedent such extensive use of the presidential pardon power might set.
Schiff rightly recognized that Biden's pardon has further strengthened claims from Trump that the members of the Jan. 6th Committee committed crimes.
"I continue to believe that the grant of pardons to a committee that undertook such important work to uphold the law was unnecessary, and because of the precedent it establishes, unwise," Schiff articulated. His concern reflects a broader unease among some political circles about the implications of preemptive pardons.
"But I certainly understand why President Biden believed he needed to take this step in light of the persistent and baseless threats issued by Donald Trump and individuals who are now some of his law enforcement nominees," added Schiff.
Trump has long promised retribution for those who abused the justice system to launch multiple indictments against him and smear him as an "insurrectionist." Now with the prospect of facing justice, Biden was forced to issue pardons that prove Schiff and his cohorts committed crimes.
In contrast to Schiff, both Thompson and Cheney supported Biden's decision, referring to the pardons as a necessary action under "extraordinary circumstances." They justified these measures as protective against false prosecutions that could manipulate the judicial system against them.
The extreme irony of these claims stands out considering this has been the Democrat playbook against Trump for the past four years and now the shoe is on the other foot.
The preemptive pardons also included other significant figures such as Dr. Anthony Fauci, Gen. Mark Milley, and several Biden family members, indicating a broad effort by the outgoing president to secure a legacy of protection for his allies and those under his administration.
These pardons have confirmed speculation that Fauci and Milley in particular committed criminal offenses and need to be protected when Trump's team begins to uncover their dark deeds.
Biden's decision to issue a blanket pardon for those involved in the January 6 inquiry marks a significant use of presidential power, typically reserved for cases where individuals have already faced charges or convictions.
By pardoning members who have not been charged, Biden has completely abused his power to stop Trump from rightfully investigating those who broke the law to prosecute him these past four years.
Moreover, Biden's assertion that the pardons do not imply wrongdoing by the recipients is completely wrong as pardons have always implied that the pardoned individual is accepting guilt without punishment.
For those who have long wanted to see the likes of Schiff and Cheney investigated, Biden's preemptive pardon is definitive proof that they are all guilty and terrified of the consequences of their corrupt actions.