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Biden’s aides are concerned about a range of officials being targeted by Trump, as shown with his pardon of Hunter Biden.
US President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son was widely criticised by Republicans and Democrats alike. (Reuters)
In a surprise move, outgoing US President Joe Biden issued a “full and unconditional” pardon to his son Hunter Biden for gun crime and tax convictions, a decision that was widely criticised by Republicans and Democrats alike. Biden, who earlier said he would not interfere with the proceedings, said his son was “unfairly prosecuted” by political opponents.
However, Biden’s senior aides are now debating over possible preemptive pardons to a range of current and former public officials who could be targeted by President-elect Donald Trump as he takes office on January 20, senior Democrats familiar with the discussions told Politico.
These concerns have largely swelled after Trump nominated Indian-origin lawyer Kash Patel as the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Patel, a fierce Trump loyalist, has vowed to come after the President-elect’s critics and has repeated falsehoods against Biden and the 2020 election.
Biden’s Aides Worried About Future Indictments
The President’s aides are deeply concerned about several current and former officials who could be targeted by inquiries or even inquiries. However, White House officials are carefully weighing handing out blanket pardons to those who have committed no crimes, as it suggests impropriety and those offered these pardons may reject them.
Officials are discussing pardoning those currently in office, as well as former officials who have angered Trump and his loyalists. These include former GOP Representative Liz Cheney, Senator-elect Adam Schiff and former Chief Medical Advisor Anthony Fauci.
The deliberations have been organized by White House counsel Ed Siskel but include a range of other aides, including chief of staff Jeff Zients. However, Biden has not been brought into the broader pardon discussions yet as he was occupied solely on his son’s pardon, said people familiar with the matter.
These debates were spurred by Trump’s repeated threats and quiet lobbying by congressional Democrats, though not by those seeking pardons themselves. The ambit of the pardon given to Hunter Biden reinforced the growing anxieties among high-level Democrats on how far Trump would go with his reprisals after taking office.
Congressman Brendan Boyle, a close Biden ally who hosted the president in his district shortly ahead of the election, issued a plea on Wednesday for the President to offer blanket pardons. “The time for cautious restraint is over. We must act with urgency to push back against these threats and prevent Trump from abusing his power,” he said.
Uproar Over Hunter Biden’s Pardon
Several people criticised Biden’s decision to pardon his son who was facing convictions in two criminal cases. While Trump called it a “miscarriage of justice”, the federal judge who oversaw Hunter’s tax case for trying to “rewrite history”. CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins called the decision a “political time bomb”.
Democratic Senator Michael Bennet said Biden’s decision placed “personal interest ahead of duty and further erodes Americans’ faith that the justice system is fair and equal for all.” Democratic Representative Greg Stanton of Arizona said that while he respects the president, “I think he got this one wrong.”
- Location :
Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
