Biden issues last-minute pardons for Fauci, Gen. Milley, J6 committee and cops

Outgoing President Joe Biden has issued a flurry of last-minute pardons for individuals who ran afoul of incoming President Donald Trump.

On Monday, just hours before leaving the Oval Office, Biden issued pardons for Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired Gen. Mark Milley, and members of the House committee who allegedly investigated January 6 as well as some Capitol and D.C. Metro police officers who testified before the committee. According to the AP, Biden worried that Trump might seek "revenge" on these individuals.

'Our nation owes these public servants a debt of gratitude for their tireless commitment to our country.'

"I believe in the rule of law, and I am optimistic that the strength of our legal institutions will ultimately prevail over politics. But these are exceptional circumstances, and I cannot in good conscience do nothing," Biden said in a statement. "Baseless and politically motivated investigations wreak havoc on the lives, safety, and financial security of targeted individuals and their families. Even when individuals have done nothing wrong — and in fact have done the right thing — and will ultimately be exonerated, the mere fact of being investigated or prosecuted can irreparably damage reputations and finances."

"The issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that any individual engaged in wrongdoing," the statement continued, "nor should acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any offense.

"Our nation owes these public servants a debt of gratitude for their tireless commitment to our country."

Though a member of federal health institutions for decades, Fauci became a household name in 2020, when he issued guidance about masking, social distancing, and lockdowns during the COVID-19 outbreak. However, he soon became the avatar for the controversial vaccines and onerous government overreach.

Fauci retired from the National Institutes of Health in early 2023.

Trump has previously accused Milley of committing "treason" after the then-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff made "secret" calls to his counterpart in China in January 2021, just as Trump was about to leave office after his first term. Milley later defended the calls as part of his official responsibilities.

In the years that followed, Milley, who also retired in 2023, hinted that Trump was a "wannabe dictator" who "might spark war," according to reports. He also reportedly expressed concerns in the lead-up to the 2024 election that Trump might target him for a possible court martial, should he be re-elected.

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