---
[ POLITICS ](https://www.citywatchla.com/la-election-2022)
# Biden Preemptively Pardons Members of January 6 Panel, Other Trump Targets
January 20 2025
Written by Common Dreams Staff.
[](https://www.addtoany.com/share)
PARDON ME - In the final hours of his presidency, Joe Biden on Monday issued preemptive pardons to a number of current and former lawmakers and public officials whom President-elect [Donald Trump](https://www.commondreams.org/tag/donald-trump) has attacked.
Those pardoned include Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; Mark Milley, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and [members](https://january6th-benniethompson.house.gov/about/membership) of the House select committee that investigated the January 6, 2021 insurrection incited by Trump, who has pledged to pursue retribution against his political opponents.
"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," Biden said in a statement. "Our nation owes these public servants a debt of gratitude for their tireless commitment to our country."
"These are exceptional circumstances, and I cannot in good conscience do nothing," the outgoing president continued. "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."
Biden has made sweeping use of his clemency powers in the final days of his White House term, commuting the sentences of thousands of people convicted for nonviolent drug offenses and [almost completely emptying](https://www.citywatchla.com/safari-reader://www.commondreams.org/news/e) federal death row.
But Biden has not granted clemency to [several high-profile individuals](https://www.commondreams.org/news/donziger-peltier-assange-littlejohn-clemency) whose causes progressive lawmakers and human rights organizations have championed, including [Charles Littlejohn](https://www.commondreams.org/news/charles-littlejohn)—a former IRS contractor serving a five-year prison sentence for leaking the income tax records of thousands of rich Americans, Trump among them—and [Steven Donziger](https://www.commondreams.org/news/steven-donziger-pardon), who faced an unprecedented legal assault led by Chevron after he helped secure a historic settlement against the company over oil dumped in the Amazon rainforest.
*(This story was first published in CommonDreams.org.)*
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/116 "USA Radio Museum - Wide")
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/107 "LA DWP | Save $4K, Green | Priority Ad")
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/82 "LA DWP #2 (Power Savers)")
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/97 "Home - LA DWP #2 (Pay Water Bill Help)")
## Get The News In Your Email Inbox Mondays & Thursdays
Last Name
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/110 "Something You Should Know")
---
## Featured CityWatch Stories
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/election-2024/33710-bass-is-out-raman-is-in-is-los-angeles-trading-failure-for-a-bigger-crisis)
### [Bass Is Out. Raman Is In. Is Los Angeles Trading Failure for a Bigger Crisis?](https://www.citywatchla.com/election-2024/33710-bass-is-out-raman-is-in-is-los-angeles-trading-failure-for-a-bigger-crisis)
THE BOTTOM LINE - Karen Bass lost the confidence of Los Angeles voters. Nithya Raman won their support. But can a new m…
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/los-angeles/33704-nithyas-budget-buzz-saw)
### [Nithya’s Budget Buzz Saw](https://www.citywatchla.com/los-angeles/33704-nithyas-budget-buzz-saw)
LA WATCHDOG - Nithya Raman, our new mayor, will inherit a budget that is a river of red ink. According to the First Fi…
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/voices/33687-first-test-of-next-governor-s-leadership-demand-a-full-forensic-audit-of-bullet-train)
### [First Test of Next Governor`s Leadership: Demand a Full Forensic Audit of Bullet Train](https://www.citywatchla.com/voices/33687-first-test-of-next-governor-s-leadership-demand-a-full-forensic-audit-of-bullet-train)
NICK’S VIEW - For a case study in lost public trust and squandered taxpayer money, look no further than California’s hi…
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/voices/33698-a-great-night-for-america-and-a-warning-to-both-parties)
### [A Great Night for America—and a Warning to Both Parties](https://www.citywatchla.com/voices/33698-a-great-night-for-america-and-a-warning-to-both-parties)
FRED TALK - The opinions in this column are solely mine and I stand by them. I did not write yesterday because I wanted…
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/los-angeles/33709-progress-not-presto-chango)
### [Progress, Not Presto-Chango](https://www.citywatchla.com/los-angeles/33709-progress-not-presto-chango)
IN MY VIEW - If We Want People Off the Streets, We Have to Give Them Somewhere to Go. I was about five years old, wa…
---
## [ POLITICS ](https://www.citywatchla.com/la-election-2022)
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/la-election-2022/33603-angelenos-centrists-can-save-america)### [Angelenos’ Centrists Can Save America](https://www.citywatchla.com/la-election-2022/33603-angelenos-centrists-can-save-america)
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/la-election-2022/33559-nithya-raman-wants-city-hall-first-explain-the-87-million)### [Nithya Raman Wants City Hall. First, Explain the $87 Million](https://www.citywatchla.com/la-election-2022/33559-nithya-raman-wants-city-hall-first-explain-the-87-million)
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/la-election-2022/33561-is-america-creeping-away-from-polarization)### [Is America Creeping Away from Polarization?](https://www.citywatchla.com/la-election-2022/33561-is-america-creeping-away-from-polarization)
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/la-election-2022/33577-nithya-raman-gets-votes-as-gotcha-by-bass-goes-bust)### [Nithya Raman Gets Votes As 'Gotcha' by Bass Goes Bust ](https://www.citywatchla.com/la-election-2022/33577-nithya-raman-gets-votes-as-gotcha-by-bass-goes-bust)
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/la-election-2022/33524-nithya-raman-wants-mcdonnell-out-as-lapd-chief-is-george-gascon-her-answer)### [Nithya Raman Wants McDonnell Out as LAPD Chief. Is George Gascón Her Answer?](https://www.citywatchla.com/la-election-2022/33524-nithya-raman-wants-mcdonnell-out-as-lapd-chief-is-george-gascon-her-answer)