U.S. President Joe Biden issued pre-emptive pardons on Monday to former COVID-19 adviser Anthony Fauci and retired Gen. Mark Milley to shield them from potential "politically motivated prosecutions" under the Trump administration.
In an extraordinary move in his last hours in the White House, Biden gave similar pardons to members, staff and witnesses of the U.S. House committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by Donald Trump's supporters.
"I believe in the rule of law, and I am optimistic that the strength of our legal institutions will ultimately prevail over politics," Biden said in a statement. "But these are exceptional circumstances, and I cannot in good conscience do nothing.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.