(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) President Joe Biden may issue preemptive pardons for individuals who could face legal scrutiny under the incoming Trump administration, cementing its reputation as one of the most corrupt administrations in modern history.
Senior Democrats confirmed discussions about the pardons in Wednesday interviews with Politico. Sen.-elect Adam Schiff, disgraced former Rep. Liz Cheney, and former COVID czar Anthony Fauci are among those who could be granted pardons.
“Biden’s aides are deeply concerned about a range of current and former officials who could find themselves facing inquiries and even indictments, a sense of alarm which has only accelerated since Trump last weekend announced the appointment of Kash Patel to lead the FBI,” Politico reported.
These discussions come less than a week after Biden issued a broad and blanket pardon to his embattled son, Hunter Biden—the first time a president ever used the power of his office to pardon their children.
Hunter had pleaded guilty to tax fraud. A jury convicted him of lying about his drug abuse on a federal gun purchase form.
The full and unconditional pardon, issued on Sunday, covered offenses Hunter committed or may have committed between Jan. 1, 2014, and Dec. 1, 2024. This period includes portions of Biden’s tenure as vice president.
The pardon’s broadness suggests the scandal-plagued first son may have been implicated in larger crimes than those he faced.
Politico reported that the White House is currently weighing “the extraordinary step of handing out blanket pardons to those who’ve committed no crimes.” This move could suggest that those pardoned individuals are guilty of crimes.
Leading the discussions are White House counsel Ed Siskel and chief of staff Jeff Zients. Biden reportedly “has not been brought into the broader pardon discussions yet,” Politico noted.
It would be unusual, however, for such discussions to take place without the president’s blessing, especially given the context of Hunter’s pardon.
The individuals who may be blessed with the pardons “know nothing” of the discussions, the sources said. In response to questions from Politico, Schiff said, “I would urge the president not to do that. I think it would seem defense and unnecessary.”
Ironically, Schiff introduced a bill to block Trump from exploiting the use of presidential pardon in 2018. At the time, Schiff was a member of the House of Representatives. He has since run for the Senate.
In 2018, Adam Schiff introduced a bill to keep Trump from abusing pardon powers for his family:
“If the President grants a pardon in a case involving himself or his family, the American people must understand whether it serves as an effort to obstruct justice. This bill would… pic.twitter.com/u00C23ZZbM
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) December 2, 2024
