Biden pardons Fauci, Cheney and more at last minute

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President Joe Biden has pardoned Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired Gen. Mark Milley and members of the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 incident at the Capitol, using the extraordinary powers of his office in his final hours.

Biden suggested the move is to guard against potential revenge by the incoming Trump administration. Biden's decision comes after Donald Trump warned of an enemies list filled with those who've crossed him politically.

In a statement released this morning, Biden said "the issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that any individual engaged in any wrongdoing, 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.”

It’s customary for a president to grant clemency at the end of his term, but those acts of mercy are usually offered to everyday Americans who have been convicted of crimes. But Biden has used the power in the broadest and most untested way possible: to pardon those who have not even been investigated yet. And with the acceptance comes a tacit admission of guilt or wrongdoing, even though those who have been pardoned have not been formally accused of any crimes.