President Biden’s last-minute preemptive pardons of some of President-elect Donald Trump’s biggest critics, including Gen. Mark Milley, former GOP Rep. Liz Cheney and Dr. Anthony Fauci, were criticized on social media Monday, just hours before he leaves the White House.
Journalist Glenn Greenwald called Biden’s decision to pardon Liz Cheney on his final day in office a reflection of the American political realignment and the state of the Democratic Party.
Biden granted preemptive pardons to anyone who served on the House Jan. 6 committee. Milley accepted the pardon, while Fauci expressed gratitude but maintained his innocence.
HUNTER BIDEN SAYS HIS MISTAKES WERE ‘EXPLOITED’ FOR POLITICAL SPORT, SAYS HE WON’T TAKE PARDON FOR GRANTED
NBC’s Kristen Welker reported that Trump texted her calling the pardons “disgraceful,” and accusing many of “major crimes.”
Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky blamed Biden for the COVID pandemic, stating that the pardon of Fauci solidified this belief.
Milley expressed gratitude to Biden in a statement on Monday, citing his 43 years of service and reluctance to engage in any unnecessary conflict.
Biden issued several preemptive pardons to prominent critics of Donald Trump on Monday. (Left to right: (Photo by: William B. Plowman/NBC via Getty Images), (Photo by Mandel Ngan – Pool/Getty Images), (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images), (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images))
“I do not want to put my family, my friends, and those with whom I served through the resulting distraction, expense, and anxiety,” Milley added.
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“The swamp protects its own,” Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida commented on social media.
Biden clarified that the pardons do not imply guilt, and that acceptance does not equal a confession of wrongdoing.
Former Senator Claire McCaskill criticized the sad precedent set by Biden’s pardons on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Monday.
Biden faced backlash for pardoning his son, Hunter Biden, in December after promising not to interfere in the justice system.
Michael Shellenberger, CBR Chair of Politics, Censorship and Free Speech at the University of Austin, called for further investigation into Fauci’s alleged role in the COVID pandemic.
Mary Kathrine Ham highlighted the irony of blanket pardons, stating “No one is above the law except people who get blanket, preemptive pardons.”
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Notably, Special Counsel Jack Smith, former FBI Director Christopher Wray, and Attorney General Merrick Garland were not pardoned despite speculation of backlash from the incoming administration.
Fox News’ Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.
