In one of his final acts in office, President Joe Biden protected former Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney against a potential criminal prosecution under President-elect Donald Trump.
Early Monday, Biden issued blanket preemptive pardons for Cheney, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Anthony Fauci, and Gen. Mark Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
"These public servants have served our nation with honor and distinction and do not deserve to be the targets of unjustified and politically motivated prosecutions," Biden said in a statement.
Wyoming’s congressional delegation was quick to slam the move.
“Joe Biden spent his last night in the White House handing out ‘Get Out of Jail Free’ cards to those who did his political bidding,” Sen. John Barrasso told Cowboy State Daily. “If they didn’t do anything wrong, they shouldn’t need a pardon.”
Sen. Cynthia Lummis agreed.
“It is a fitting end to this lawless administration that Biden would preemptively pardon people like Liz Cheney and tacitly acknowledge their guilt,” Lummis posted to X (formerly Twitter).
Trump called the move “disgraceful.”
“Many are guilty of MAJOR CRIMES!” Trump told NBC News’ Kristen Welker.
Why Pardon?
The purpose of the pardons is to shield some of Trump’s top foes from criminal prosecution once he takes office Monday. None of the three have been charged with crimes, but they were believed to be among the targets that Trump has singled out for "retribution" in his second term for his political enemies.
"Baseless and politically motivated investigations wreak havoc on the lives, safety and financial security of targeted individuals and their families," Biden said. "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."
Cheney was one of Trump’s main targets after he left office, particularly for her role as vice chair of the United States House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack that sought to investigate his alleged role in starting the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
Biden also pardoned all of the members of the committee, as well as the U.S. Capitol and D.C. Metropolitan Police officers who testified before the committee.
Earlier this month, Biden gave Cheney the Presidential Citizens Medal, the second highest civilian honor.
Trump has routinely blasted Cheney and said in 2024 that she should be jailed.
Although Trump also said he wasn’t going to direct his Department of Justice to seek criminal prosecution against Cheney, the people he is choosing to lead the agencies are at least sympathetic to the cause.
Fauci
Trump and the Wyoming delegation has routinely criticized Fauci for the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which he oversaw at the end of Trump’s presidency.
COVID lockdowns and restrictions were a particularly heated topic in Wyoming, with protests held outside the Capitol building in Cheyenne and lawsuits filed.
Last June, Republicans accused Fauci in a hearing of helping fund Chinese efforts to create the COVID virus, hiding medical data, and making up health guidelines with little basis, all of which Fauci has denied.
Milley
Trump has also accused Milley of treason and said that in the past he would’ve been executed for his actions. The allegation was a reference to phone calls Milley made to his Chinese counterpart assuring him the U.S. had no intentions of launching an attack in 2021.
In a recent book by Watergate sleuth Bob Woodward, Milley was quoted calling Trump a “fascist to the core” and “the most dangerous person to this country.”
What It Means
The pardons follow on the heels of a blanket pardon Biden gave his son Hunter Biden in December for gun charges and tax felonies.
The problem with preemptively pardoning people is that it comes with the suggestion of accepting some type of guilt. Others have warned that it could set a new precedent for pardons and for Trump to take similar action.
Cheney never said she wanted a pardon and has indicated she believes she did nothing wrong in her role on the Jan. 6 Committee.
A report released late last year exposed evidence that she may have had improper conversations with a key witness for the committee’s hearings.
Leo Wolfson can be reached at leo@cowboystatedaily.com.
