Anthony Fauci Former Chief Medical Advisor to the President of United States. Credit | REUTERS
United States: White House advisors are considering whether Biden should grant ‘blanket pardons’ to individuals currently in or who have been involved in public service and may potentially fall under prosecution upon the Trump instalment, however, Biden has not come to a decision over the matter yet, sources said.
Complex Questions Surround Pardons
Those close to the White House said there are debates considering whether such pardons should be given to persons who have not committed a serious crime and what the signal would appear like, as reported by Reuters.
One White House official said that Biden is aware of these discussions but has not been actively involved in the broader conversation. In any case, it would be up to Biden to decide the fate of the parties involved.
Recent Presidential Pardon Fuels Speculation
The conversations began to get active social media shares after the president of the United States of America granted his son a pardon on Sunday after he promised that he would not be granting pardons to anyone. Another Trump’s choice for a key position also raises concerns among more established figures in the White House and the administration: FBI Director Kash Patel has threatened to punish – in specific terms – any critic of the president-elect.
These include Wyoming-born Liz Cheney, a Republican turned Democrat who opposed Trump; Anthony Fauci, who managed Biden’s COVID response; Senate-in-waiting Adam Schiff, who led the first Trump impeachment; and the former chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, now retired, Mark Milley.
Officials Consider Impacts and Public Perception
Leads from the White House, White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients, and White House counsel Ed Siskel, as per the sources.
A White House spokesman for the administration refused to be interviewed.
“The question right now is whether people being considered for these pardons want them,” said one of the sources.
Press Secretary Signals Additional Pardons on the Horizon
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre suggested to reporters earlier this week that Biden will issue additional pardons before the end of his presidency.
The U.S. Constitution grants a president wide powers to pardon, but preemptive presidential pardons for crimes yet to be alleged are still experimental, as reported by Reuters.
Politico reported the news for the first time.
