After son Hunter, US President Joe Biden plans preemptive pardon for Trump critics: Report

Discussions have sped up after Donald Trump appointed Kash Patel as the head of the FBI, who has publicly vowed to prosecute Trump's critics

Published on: Dec 5, 2024, 11:20:54 IST

By HT News Desk

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Outgoing US president Joe Biden's senior aides are allegedly conducting internal discussions on whether pre-emptive pardons should be issued for current and former public officials who are on president-elect Donald Trump's radar, reported Politico.

The Biden administration is considering pre-emptive pardons for those on Donald Trump's radar

Senior Democrats who have been privy to the talks said that a sense of alarm has taken over Biden aides after Donald Trump appointed Kash Patel as the head of the FBI, who has publicly vowed to pursue government officials critical of Trump.

Also Read: Joe Manchin asks Joe Biden to pardon Trump after controversial Hunter Biden decision, ‘Why don’t you go ahead and…’

Organized by White House counsel Ed Siskel, the administration is considering pardons for elected and appointed officials currently in office, as well as former officials who have been in Trump's crosshairs.

While chief of staff Jeff Zients and other senior aides are a part of the deliberations, president Biden, who has been dealing with his son Hunter's pardon, has not been brought in yet. A senior Democrat told Politico that the beneficiaries of the potential pardons are not aware of them as well.

Also Read: The View co-hosts slam Republicans for ‘foolish’ criticism of Joe Biden over son Hunter's pardon

However, providing blanket pardons would create roadblocks as well for those who have committed no crimes as it would fuel Trump's allegations of corruption and many people may even reject their pardons.

Senator-elect Adam Schiff and former GOP representative Liz Cheney , who were part of the January 6 committee, could face the consequences of Donald Trump's wrath once in power, reported Politico.

Also Read: CNN's Kaitlan Collins dubs Joe Biden's pardon of son Hunter a ‘political time bomb’

Trump has previously said that Cheney “should go to Jail along with the rest of the Unselect Committee!”

Another candidate for a pardon is Anthony Fauci, the former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who faced criticism from the right wing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A White House spokesperson declined to comment on but did not deny the discussions, Politico reported.

While president Biden is still facing the ire of people after pardoning his own son, democratic officials are undecided on whether issuing pardons to others who could face Trump's anger, will be a favourable decision.

Democratic senator Ed Markey spoke positively of such discussions, citing former president Gerald Ford’s pre-emptive pardon of Richard Nixon.

“If it’s clear by January 19 that [revenge] is his intention, then I would recommend to President Biden that he provide those pre-emptive pardons to people, because that’s really what our country is going to need next year,” Markey told a Boston radio station.

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HT News Desk
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