Fearing Trump’s vengeance, Biden issues pre-emptive pardons for family members

Washington: Departing US President Joe Biden used his last day in office to protect some of his family members from potential revenge from incoming President Donald Trump.

While sitting at Trump’s inauguration, Biden issued five pre-emptive pardons for his brother, James Biden and his wife, Sara Jones Biden; his sister, Valerie Biden Owens and her husband, John Owens; and another brother, Francis Biden.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.Credit: AP

In a statement moments before Trump took the oath of office, Biden announced pardons. “My family has been subjected to unrelenting attacks and threats, motivated solely by a desire to hurt me – the worst kind of partisan politics. Unfortunately, I have no reason to believe these attacks will end.”

The unusual move by Biden reflects a fear of the uniquely personalised nature of vengeance that Trump has long trafficked in.

Shortly before he and first lady Jill Biden were due to meet Trump for the traditional inauguration tea at the White House, Biden had announced pardons for other potential targets of Trump’s revenge: former COVID-19 tsar Anthony Fauci, retired general Mark Milley and members of the January 6 select committee that investigated the attack on the US Capitol in 2021, including former Republican congresswoman Liz Cheney.

“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 I believe these are exceptional circumstances, and I cannot in good conscience do nothing.

“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,” he added.

The move was the latest in a series of pardons issued by the president before he leaves Washington after a political career spanning half a century.

Biden walks with his sister Valerie Biden Owens (right), after attending a mass in Wilmington, Delaware, last year.Credit: AP

It comes one month after Biden sparked an angry backlash within his own ranks after pardoning his son Hunter, who was facing the prospect of jail time after being convicted for tax and gun crimes, despite saying for months he would adhere to the jury’s verdict.

Biden also recently commuted the prison sentences of almost 1500 people and pardoned another 39 Americans convicted of non-violent crimes in the largest single-day act of clemency in modern history.

Fauci was director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health for nearly 40 years and was Biden’s chief medical advisor until his retirement in 2022.

However, he outraged Republicans and many Americans with his response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which included mask mandates, school closures and other policies that critics believed infringed on their rights.

Pre-emptive pardons: Liz Cheney, Anthony Fauci and Mark Milley.Credit: AP, Bloomberg

Milley is the former chairman of the military Joint Chiefs of Staff but became an outspoken critic of Trump, who he worked for, over his actions relating to the deadly Capitol attack and later described him in Bob Woodward’s book War as a “fascist to the core”.

“He is the most dangerous person ever,” Milley is quoted as saying.

Biden also granted pre-emptive pardons to all the members of the January 6 select committee who investigated Trump over the Capitol riots, when the newly ousted president urged supporters to “fight like hell” to stop Biden’s 2020 election victory from being certified.

The highest profile of those members was Liz Cheney, the daughter of former Republican vice president Dick Cheney.

Both endorsed Kamala Harris for president last year, warning that Trump was a danger to democracy and urging other conservatives to put “country over party” by ensuring he did not return to office.

Trump, however, won the election resoundingly, picking up all seven battleground states, the popular vote and helping Republicans win both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

During the campaign, he made no secret of wanting to punish his political and media adversaries, prompting Biden to issue his latest round of safeguards.

In explaining his decision, Biden said that America “relies on dedicated, selfless public servants every day. They are the lifeblood of our democracy.

“Yet, alarmingly, public servants have been subjected to ongoing threats and intimidation for faithfully discharging their duties.”

Asked for his response, Trump spokesman Jason Miller told CNN that he had not had the chance to speak to the president-elect yet, but added: “Quite frankly, this is President Trump’s day ... Joe Biden is on his way out. We’re going to have real leadership back in the White House.”

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