Below is my column in the New York Post on the news reports that President Joe Biden is seriously considering preemptive pardons for political allies. In granting what I have called “White Knight pardons,” Biden would achieve more of a political than legal purpose. Democrats are worried about the collapsing narrative that President-elect Donald Trump will destroy democracy, end future elections, and conduct sweeping arrests of everyone from journalists to homosexuals. That narrative, of course, ignores that we have a constitutional system of overlapping protections that has blocked such abuses for over two centuries. Ironically, preemptive pardons would do precisely what Biden suggests that he is deterring: create a dangerous immunity for presidents and their allies in committing criminal abuses.
Here is the column:
There are growing indications that President Joe Biden is about to fundamentally change the use of presidential pardons by granting “prospective” or “preemptive” pardons to political allies. Despite repeated denials of President-elect Donald Trump that he is seeking retaliation against opponents and his statements that he wants “success [to be] my revenge,” Democratic politicians and pundits have called for up to thousands of such pardons.
While there is little threat of any viable prosecution of figures like the members of the January 6th Committee, the use of “White Knight pardons” offers obvious political benefits. After many liberals predicted the imminent collapse of democracy and that opponents would be rounded up in mass by the Trump Administration, they are now contemplating the nightmare that democracy might survive and that there will be no mass arrests.
The next best thing to a convenient collapse of democracy is a claim that Biden’s series of preemptive pardons averted it. It is enough to preserve the narrative in the face of a stable constitutional system . Indeed, Biden’s pardon list has replaced the usual Inauguration Ball lists as the “must-have” item this year. Pardon envy is sweeping over the Beltway as politicians and pundits push to be included on the list of presumptive Trump enemies.
The political stunt will come at a cost. Preemptive pardons could become the norm as presidents pardon whole categories of allies and even themselves to foreclose federal prosecutions. It can quickly become the norm in what I recently wrote about as our “age of rage.”
It will give presidents cover to wipe away any threat of prosecution for friends, donors, and associates. This can include self-pardons issued as implied condemnations of their political opponents. It could easily become the final act of every president to pardon himself and all of the members of his Administration. We would then have an effective immunity rule for outgoing parties in American politics.
Ironically, there is even less need for such preemptive pardons after the Supreme Court recognized that presidents are immune for many decisions made during their presidencies. Likewise, members have robust constitutional protections for their work under Article I, as do journalists and pundits under the Constitution’s First Amendment.
We have gone over two centuries without such blanket immunity. In my book The Indispensable Right, I discuss our periods of violent political strife and widespread arrests. Thomas Jefferson referred to John Adams’s Federalist government as “the reign of the witches.” Yet, even presidents in those poisonous times did not do what Joe Biden is now contemplating.
Moreover, presidential pardons have a checkered history, including presidents pardoning family members or political donors. Bill Clinton did both. Not surprisingly, Clinton last week attempted to add his own wife’s name to the sought-after Biden pardon list. He added, however, “I don’t think I should be giving public advice on the pardon power…It’s a very personal thing.”
That is precisely the point. The power was not created to be used for “very personal things,” like pardoning your half-brother and a fugitive Democratic donor on your last day in office.
Yet, despite that history, no president has seen fit to go as far as where Biden appears to be heading.
We have a constitutional system that allows for overlapping protections of individuals from abusive prosecutions and convictions. It does not always work as fast as we would want, but it has sustained the oldest and most stable constitutional system in history.
These figures would prefer to fundamentally change the use of the pardon power to maintain an apocalyptic narrative that was clearly rejected by the public in this election. If you cannot prove the existence of the widely touted Trump enemies list, a Biden pardon list is the next best thing.
After years of lying to the American people about the influence-peddling scandal and promising not to consider a pardon for his son, Biden would end his legacy with the ultimate dishonesty: converting pardons into virtual party favors.
In doing so, he has ironically lowered the standard and expectations for his successors. Joe Biden has become the president that Richard Nixon only imagined. He would establish with utter clarity that this power is not presidential, but personal and political . . . and many in the Beltway are waiting to give him a standing ovation.
Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University. He is the author of “The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage.”
When the likes of a Schiff and a Swalwell, among others of that ilk, are routinely returned to office, the fault is not in our stars. Send not to know who was elected. Send to know who voted. Therein lies the rub.
Jonathan: There are many urging Biden to grant preemptive pardons–particularly for members of the Jan. 6 House Select Committee. That’s because DJT thinks Liz Cheney belongs in jail along with others on the Committee. Cheney is at the top of DJT’s “enemies list”. Others are opposed to preemptive pardons because they imply guilt. There are good arguments on both sides.
One thing is clear. The Jan. 6 Committee was authorized by Congress to investigate the Jan. 6 insurrection. It found DJT had committed serious crimes. The Committee’s report formed the basis, in part, for the subsequent indictment of DJT by Jack Smith. Despite the claims in your previous column (12/9/24) there is no evidence “Cheney’s work on the the committee was rife with false claims and manipulation of evidence”. But your false claims about Cheney have fueled calls by DJT and his supporters to investigate and prosecute Cheney and others on the Committee.
What you don’t mention is that DJT says one of his first acts will be to issue blanket pardons for many of the Jan. 6 insurrectionists. That would be a gross abuse of the pardon power. Those pardons involve people who committed serious crimes and either pled guilty or were convicted by juries. Hundreds have been sentenced and are serving prison time.
Pardons for the Jan. 6 insurrectionists would send a terrible message–that trying to violently overturn an election to keep DJT in power was acceptable conduct. It was not! But DJT thinks his supporters should be rewarded for their crimes. That’s not how the pardon power was envisioned by the Founders. DJT’s use of the pardon this way would essentially be “personal and political”–something you complain about Joe Biden and his contemplated pardons. If you want to discuss abuses of the pardon power you should address what DJT has planned–not anything Biden may or may not be contemplating!
Biden advisors used insecure pseudonymous email accounts to brief him on sensitive foreign policy
“The email records, released by the National Archives after a Freedom of Information lawsuit, show that then-Vice President Biden regularly conducted foreign policy business on his pseudonymous email account, hidden from public scrutiny.”
https://justthenews.com/accountability/political-ethics/records-show-vp-biden-repeatedly-briefed-advisors-about-foreign
House GOP accuses Liz Cheney of tampering with J6 witness, ask FBI to investigate criminality
“Evidence uncovered by the Subcommittee revealed that former Congresswoman Liz Cheney tampered with at least one witness, Cassidy Hutchinson, by secretly communicating with Hutchinson without Hutchinson’s attorney’s knowledge.,” it added. “This secret communication with a witness is improper and likely violates 18 U.S.C. 1512. Such action is outside the due functioning of the legislative process and therefore not protected by the Speech and Debate clause.”
The report confirms numerous stories reported by Just the News over the last two years that have substantially changed the public’s understanding of that tragic day, including:
The Select Committee failed to preserve significant evidence from its investigation, more than one terabyte of data in total, that includes missing videos of witness interviews;
Star witness Cassidy Hutchinson made significant material changes to her original testimony with the help of Vice Chair Cheney in an errata sheet where she introduced new narratives, some that conflicted with Secret Service testimony;
Speaker Pelosi took some responsibility for not ensuring adequate Capitol security in unaired footage recorded as part of an HBO documentary being made by her daughter; and
Department of Defense officials delayed the deployment of National Guard the Capitol despite standing orders from President Donald Trump to keep his speech and the Capitol safe.
https://justthenews.com/government/congress/hld-house-gop-accuses-liz-cheney-tampering-j6-witness-ask-fbi-criminally
Cheney is far from an honest patriot.
https://cha.house.gov/2024/10/new-texts-reveal-liz-cheney-communicated-with-cassidy-hutchinson-about-her-select-committee-testimony-without-hutchinson-s-attorney-s-knowledge-despite-cheney-knowing-it-was-unethical
@Dennis McIntyre: That’s quite literally a crock. The J6 committee was NOT bipartisan and could not possibly therefore be considered by any of reasonable mind to be a legitimate investigative congressional body. They were not unbiased, they were not congressionally legitimate, and the entire world knows that.
Jonathan: There are many urging Biden to grant preemptive pardons–particularly for members of the Jan. 6 House Select Committee.
If Dennis McIntyre didn’t have a brain that rattles around in his head like a BB in a boxcar, he’d know everybody here is disgusted that he gets his sexual gratification by coming here each day to troll his good friend Jonathan with insults and lies.
Dennis was inspired to write this after watching J6 Commission lead communist, Bennie Johnson, begging The Big Guy for a Hunter Biden style pardon the other day. To quote Dennis and his good friend Bennie Johnson while that Soviet style commission was running under the direction of Commissar Pelosi: “If you haven’t done anything wrong, what are you afraid of?”
Dennis, as spokesman for the Soviet Democrat Borg, has announced that “Nobody is above the law” means Soviet Democrat police state fascists denying equal representation while destroying evidence from ongoing criminal investigations must be covered with another Hunter Biden style blanket pardon for any and all criminal acts committed by that lawless Democrat Borg J6 Committee.
Old Airborne Dog.
The American People: Why do you need a presidential pardon?
Democrats: Trump might come after me.
The American People: Why would Trump come after you?
Democrats: For crimes I have committed.
The American People: What crimes have you committed?
Democrats: I didnt commit any crimes.
The American People: Why do you need a presidential pardon?
Democrats: Trump might come after me.
The American People: Why would Trump come after you?
Democrats: For crimes I have committed.
The American People: What crimes have you committed?
Democrats: I didnt commit any crimes.
The American People: Why do you need a presidential pardon?
Democrats: Trump might come after me.
The American People: Why would Trump come after you?
Democrats: For crimes I have committed.
The American People: What crimes have you committed?
Democrats: I didnt commit any crimes.
The American People: Why do you need a presidential pardon?
Democrats: Trump might come after me.
The American People: Why would Trump come after you?
Democrats: For crimes I have committed.
The American People: What crimes have you committed?
Democrats: I didnt commit any crimes.
The American People: Why do you need a presidential pardon?
Democrats: Trump might come after me.
The American People: Why would Trump come after you?
Democrats: For crimes I have committed.
The American People: What crimes have you committed?
Democrats: I didnt commit any crimes.
It’s just as Whitey Buldger said; Ya got nuffin on me coppers!
https://potuspaper.com/sanders-slams-biden-hunter-pardon-a-dangerous-precedent/ When the prog/left has lost Bernie Sanders then you know this is not the path we want. Even Bernie has enough sense to see where this is going. It would seem fine to the left if they were to forever stay in power but now they are facing a new president who could use these pernicious powers to do the same until we have no rule of law remaining.
But this has been the plan for decades now, ruin the constitution and create a dictator as president… just like any other marxist tin-pot third world country where the oligarchy can live large on the backs of the people – all for the common good, of course.
“We have a constitutional system that allows for overlapping protections of individuals from abusive prosecutions and convictions. It does not always work as fast as we would want, but it has sustained the oldest and most stable constitutional system in history.”
This protection does not work for everyone. Let me illustrate a case in point that makes this clear.
During Trump’s first term, most of us would recall that FBI Director Comey took advantage of the naïveté of the incoming administration and sent in his agents to interview National Security Advisor LTG Michael Flynn regarding his contacts and conversations with the Russian ambassador, ostensibly for the sole purpose of “tripping him up” so that they could charge him with lying. That is exactly what the FBI did and LTG Flynn initially pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI on the advice of his counsel. He later claimed that he was coerced into the plea deal and that his initial legal team had conflicts of interest. He later filed a motion to withdraw his plea, but proceedings thereafter were dismissed when he received a presidential pardon from Trump in the last month of his first term.
LTG Flynn would go on to sue the federal government for malicious prosecution, coercion, false branding, and ignoring evidence. He did not prevail in his actions against the government. He lost his reputation/good name and endured severe financial hardship throughout the entire process, nearly losing his home. While a pardon brought an end to Flynn’s legal woes, it left him millions of dollars in debt and his reputation in tatters. Quoting Raymond J. Donovan, the former U.S. Secretary of Labor after being acquiteed of fraud and larceny charges in 1987, Flynn could have likewise said after his pardon, “Where do I go to get my reputation back?”
Joe has always been nothing more than a cheap hood. And now all his sycophants rush to kiss his feet when only a few months ago they were effectively knifing him and dumping him in the backwaters. (What a bitter pill for Obama, eh? The very guy Barry ‘hooks’ to get off the stage upends him across the board and costs him his influence. The ultimate Greek Tragedy.)
Certainly Joe will pass out pardons like party favors. It is exactly how you teach a sycophant the life lesson of who butters their bread and will always do so. And don’t blame the sycophants. Blame the clowns that had it in their power over the past 2 years to intervene and prevent this mockery.
The only question that remains: Will Godfather Joe pardon all the illegal migrants and, in one fell swoop, accomplish what the entire Democrats party has been attempting for decades? (See what happens when you don’t deal with a hood and hold their feet to the fire?)
Gotta love the Dems! They use their demented minds to create doomsday scenarios about their oppressors and then rationalize a solution for a problem that never existed. Then the nit wits go one step further / too far and posit – well why not use our sword to defeat the magical dragon called Republicans! Total Loons that love crisis!
“They use their demented minds to create . . .”
Precisely.
Their delusions are down there with: The CIA is trying to infiltrate my brain. The “solution” is to wrap my house in tin foil.
What is the law to the party who’s mantra is “by any means necessary.” Let us see Biden do it. And let us see how much lower the Democrats credibility, trustworthiness, reputation, popularity becomes. They are already the party of “losers.”
President Biden blanket-pardoned his son Hunter for crimes committed between January 1, 2014 and December 1, 2024, including any crimes he may have committed during this interval for which he has yet to be charged. So if Hunter was surreptitiously selling presidential pardons during this interval, with the knowledge that they would be granted near the end of his father’s term, he could not be tried and convicted for doing so. If Joe, his father, knew Hunter was doing this, after January 20, 2025 Joe Biden would not be eligible for impeachment since he would no longer be president. Since a presidential pardon is an official act of the president, Joe would also be immune from prosecution. Theoretically, any future presidential crime family could do, and get away with, the same. One possible way to prevent this possibility could be to make the purchase of a presidential pardon a non-pardonable crime, one with severe consequences. However, since such a law would likely be deemed an unconstitutional infringement on the power of the president as stipulated in the Constitution, it may require a constitutional amendment to do so. Leave it to the Biden crime family to have opened this possible can of worms. Considering the amounts of money possibly involved, I think this potential issue needs to be anticipated and addressed proactively by Congress.
Vicente,
“ Leave it to the Biden crime family to have opened this possible can of worms.”
No, leave it to the conservatives in the Supreme Court for opening that can of worms.
Why on earth would you blame SCOTUS for what Biden has done?
George fantasized: Biden could issue a pardon for every illegal immigrant for the crimes they are accused of, essentially absolving them of offenses that could lead to their deportation.
First; note to George, infamous Internet Lawyer: They’re ‘Illegal Aliens’. Not some unwritten class of immigrant – by definition immigrants have a visa in their hands when they arrive. “Illegal immigrant” is a false social media construct of the Soviet Democrat party attempting to legitimize the criminality of their Guest Democrat Voters.
Second, in the event of a party, their criminal behavior would resume the very next day after the pardon was issued. The crimes of your Democrat party’s guests are an unending crime wave that would continue past the date of the pardon.
Trump could of course respond by having Congress pass a law saying that all Illegal Aliens are permanently prohibited from obtaining citizenship and put other legal handcuffs on your favorite criminals. But that Biden pardon wouldn’t wipe out liability for ongoing or future crimes.
Coles Notes For Attorney General George Concerning Illegal Aliens
8 U.S.C. § 1325 (Improper Entry by Alien):
Where an illegal alien enters or attempts to enter the United States at any time or place other than as designated by immigration officers, or eludes examination or inspection by immigration officers. Yep, it’s a crime punishable by up to two years in jail as well as a fine. And civil penalties can be levied on top of that. Don’t leave the USA and come back thinking your pardon covers you the next time.
8 U.S.C. § 1302 (Registration of Aliens):
Federal law requires all aliens, including illegal aliens, to register their presence if they remain in the United States for 30 days or longer. A crime, punishable by both jail and a fine – and not subject to any statute of limitations. 30 days after the pardon… the crime resumes and the penalty for that crime is back in force.
18 U.S.C. § 911 (False Personation of a U.S. Citizen):
Illegal aliens presenting themselves as U.S. citizens. For example, an illegal alien claiming U.S. citizenship while applying for and/or after being employed. A felony, punishable by up to five years in jail.
18 U.S.C. § 1001 (Fraud and False Statements):
Illegal aliens making false statements to the government or on official documents submitted to purchase a firearm, obtain a driver’s license, benefits, employment, etc. An example would be completing and submitting the I-9 Employment Eligibility form or a form where required to purchase a firearm. A felony, punishable by both a fine and up to five years imprisonment.
18 U.S.C. § 1028 (Fraud and Related Activity in Connection with Identification Documents, Authentication Features, and Information):
Otherwise known as “false ID” as the most common criminal example of this. Simple possession is enough. A felony, with up to fifteen years in jail as the penalty.
26 U.S.C. § 7203 (Willful Failure to File Return, Supply Information, or Pay Tax):
If an illegal alien is working, not filing tax returns, and not paying taxes, that is a crime for them just as it is for legal residents and Americans. Fines and jail…
42 U.S.C. § 408 (Social Security Fraud):
This offense occurs when an illegal alien provides a false Social Security number for the purpose of acquiring a job, to acquire a driver’s license, in order to obtain Section 8 housing, as just a few examples. A felony, punishable by both a fine and up to five years imprisonment, as well as the court possibly ordering restitution. Fines and jail…
50 U.S.C. App. 462(a) and 18 U.S.C. 3571(b)(3) (Refusing or Evading Selective Service Registration):
Illegal aliens, male, between 18 and 26. A felony, punishable by five years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines.
Old Airborne Dog
You forgot 8 U.S.C. Sec. 1324
This is ridiculous! We are witnessing a President who wants to exclude from potential prosecution (almost) everyone who MAY be a potential enemy of his successor.
As a nation, we should shudder when someone (or a group of someones) wants to drastically change the foundations of our nation. It appears the pardon power was something that should be available, but should rarely be used. It also should only be extraordinary cases that have undergone vigorous national debate, and where the likelihood of the event should be considered as unlikely to happen again by the potential for future acts by the individual involved. It should not be a backhanded method of preventing prosecution for serious crimes before they can be tested in court.
Dear Mr. Turley, “Dennis” write a very curious comment. He almost sounds like he agrees with Republicans regarding all of the folks he has mentioned. What is going on here? Has he had a change of heart? It was very surprising to learn that Mr. Biden has commuted the sentence of Rita Crundwell. Her theft was not a one-time occurrence. For 20 years she took money from the city of Dixon, Ill. Surprisingly, the Illinois governor has not said anything about this. Is he so blinded by Mr. Biden that he cannot see how wrong this is?
Yes
They are so deep into thieving and grift in the biden admin that they consider rita cromwell a personal hero and aspirant.
Add onto that their distended hatred of Ronald Reagan and Dixon Il his birthplace that excusing rita cromwell satiates their bloodlust attack on Reagan and his legacy.
They were probably smarting off and saying, see, trickle down does not work, as they prepped the pardon, and hoping Reagan’s childhood home falls into disrepair.
They probably also set up personal tours to the cromwell family horse ranch to show solidarity and support.
“… Ironically, preemptive pardons would do precisely what Biden suggests that he is deterring: …”
WHATS’ THIS!?! Hypocrisy you say, surly no one is beyond that – Oh Nooooooooooo
Hypocrisy toward the Constitution of the United States,
Hypocrisy toward WE the People,
Hypocrisy toward the merits of our Social Contracts.
O.M.G. say it isn’t so!
Maybe that’s what’s wrong with a democracy that can’t be obedient. When Constituents of the Democracy loose semblance of our Social Contract(s) and Constitutional-Moral Turpitude.
Biden was a rotten ‘father-figure’ for his children, Now he has shown himself as a rotten ‘father-figure’ for the Nation.
This behavior has cast a long and dark shadow upon the U.S., of which tarnish the faith in it’s democracy … Worldwide.
Voters willing to admit they cast for biden are on the endangered list and are rapidly approaching extinction. Stand up if you have the cojones.
If the presidency of John Adams is to be labeled “poisonous times” then certainly we are now witnessing the “era of political evil” in the Joe Biden presidency. As we are almost daily reminded.
I fail to see how the use of a “preemptive” pardon does not fly in the face of due process. Just as I find I must question the efforts of so many to skate around issues of “presumptive immunity” for so-called unofficial acts. To suggest that the president has anything other than an absolute immunity, for any and all unimpeachable acts, is to violate perceptions of executive authority and the demands of such high office. Add that a “presumptive” immunity is, in fact, an absolute immunity given the absence of further legal clarity. Also, while we are here – how does Merchan;s decision to indefinitely postpone sentencing comport with the Sixth’ guarantee to a speedy trial? How can any possibly conceive of this decision to postpone as anything other than a violation of the Sixth? Why do we continue to skirt such dicey yet obvious issues? As if we are intellectually incapable of raising a defense? Hundred years of jurisprudence – our Constitution developed over hundreds of years – and access to some of the world’s greatest minds and we are incapable of dissecting such issues?
I fail to see how the use of a “preemptive” pardon does not fly in the face of due process.
Then you’re an idiot. Nobody is being deprived of life, liberty, or property, so what “due process” are you babbling about?
Jonathan: given your obsession with pardons, what if DJT’s first day back in the White House, he reaches across the isle to give King Arthur style pardons to Democrats? Pardons accompanied by the same detailed specifics as Biden did while pardoning his son for why the pardon is necessary?
A blanket pardon for President Biden for every bribe accepted and classified document stolen over his 50 years in office. That will impress his son Hunter! Especially when accompanied with longer explanations of the necessary reason for the pardon than President Biden gave while pardoning his son Hunter.
A blanket pardon for every member of the Biden family and friends who received a check cut from the $40 million President Biden and his son collected from countries like Communist China and Putin while they were operating out of the Vice President’s office.
A pardon for Barack Obama for the felony of hiring and paying a Russian spy to write the illegal Russia Dossier, ordering his lawyers in the DoJ and FBI to perjure themselves to courts, and violating Americans rights through color of law. Same detailed, specific reasons why that pardon was necessary and given in hopes of healing the nation.
A blanket pardon for all the Obama lawyers in the AG’s office, the DoJ and FBI who on Obama’s orders repeatedly perjured themselves to courts in order to spy on all things Trump and violate those Americans’ civil rights through color of law.
A pardon for the 39 FBI Head Office agents who the Inspector General’s report said accepted bribes from news media in return for providing “leaks” about their dropping the Clinton investigation to spin up the Crossfire Hurricane Trump investigation.
A pardon for those named members of the mainstream news media for bribing federal agents.
A pardon for Hillary Clinton for her five years of income tax evasion, perjury, the illegal Russia dossier, accepting Putin bribes, money laundering, and classified information crimes.
A blanket pardon for Senator Chuck Schumer for threatening SCOTUS justices.
A pardon for Speaker Nancy Pelosi and all the members of her personally selected J6 Committee for suborning perjury and destroying collected evidence. Just yesterday Benny Thomson went on cable news to say he is pleading for a preemptive pardon like President Biden gave his son Hunter.
Pardons for both James Clapper and John Brennan for committing perjury before Congress.
Pardons for generals Austin, Milley, Mattis, and all of the Woke generals for their violations of the UCMJ.
That’s just a short version of a long list. Even better than Obama pardoning over a thousand drug dealers on his way out of office. Even radical far left Democrats like Tlaib, Omar, and Gigi and myself would appreciate such a magnanimous gesture by DJT, reaching across the isle to Democrats in hopes of being a great unifier that Biden and Obama both were.
Imagine the joyous cries of “Thanks” from all who were just over a month ago pointing out he’s Hitler when hearing the news of the specific crimes they now had presidential pardons for!
House GOP accuses Liz Cheney of tampering with J6 witness, ask FBI to investigate criminality
“Evidence uncovered by the Subcommittee revealed that former Congresswoman Liz Cheney tampered with at least one witness, Cassidy Hutchinson, by secretly communicating with Hutchinson without Hutchinson’s attorney’s knowledge.,” it added. “This secret communication with a witness is improper and likely violates 18 U.S.C. 1512. Such action is outside the due functioning of the legislative process and therefore not protected by the Speech and Debate clause.”
The report confirms numerous stories reported by Just the News over the last two years that have substantially changed the public’s understanding of that tragic day, including:
The Select Committee failed to preserve significant evidence from its investigation, more than one terabyte of data in total, that includes missing videos of witness interviews;
Star witness Cassidy Hutchinson made significant material changes to her original testimony with the help of Vice Chair Cheney in an errata sheet where she introduced new narratives, some that conflicted with Secret Service testimony;
Speaker Pelosi took some responsibility for not ensuring adequate Capitol security in unaired footage recorded as part of an HBO documentary being made by her daughter; and
Department of Defense officials delayed the deployment of National Guard the Capitol despite standing orders from President Donald Trump to keep his speech and the Capitol safe.
https://justthenews.com/government/congress/hld-house-gop-accuses-liz-cheney-tampering-j6-witness-ask-fbi-criminally
Trump could just pardon every one in sight at the beginning of his presidency and then just tell them to go wild. Do whatever you want guys, the law means nothing.
Dems never seen to anticipate what the shoe will look like on the other foot.
Pardons can’t wipe away crimes that haven’t happened yet. And NOBODY claims they can. NOBODY is proposing that Biden issue such pardons. If you think someone is, you’re an idiot.
What are friends for?
Those calling for the pardons can only do so if they presume that President Trump is law-abiding and will honor the pardons. And if Trump is law abiding, why do they need the pardons? The answer of course is that they are criminals; criminals who see accountability approaching for their treachery.