Biden confirms where he stands for preemptive pardons for Liz Cheney and Dr. Anthony Fauci

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Biden confirms where he stands for preemptive pardons for Liz Cheney and Dr. Anthony Fauci

Daily Mail
By NIKKI SCHWAB,
8 January 2025

President Joe Biden confirmed that he's yet to make a decision about issuing preemptive pardons to Trump enemies including former Rep. Liz Cheney and Dr. Anthony Fauci.

The 82-year-old president sat down with USA Today's Susan Page who asked him where he stood on the issue.

Politico reported last month that White House aides were discussing the pardons though had yet to take their pitch to the president.

Among those mentioned in the story were Cheney - a top anti-Trump Republican - Fauci and Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff, who has since said he doesn't want to be pardoned.

'Well, no, I have not,' Biden answered when Page asked if he'd made a decision. 'Well, a little bit of it depends on who he puts in what positions,' the president also offered.

Trump has named former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to head the Justice Department after former Rep. Matt Gaetz pulled out of the confirmation process ahead of the release of a House Ethics Committee investigation on the Florida lawmaker.

The president-elect has chosen Kash Patel to lead the FBI.

Patel has said he would go after Trump critics.

(more)
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14263329/joe-biden-preemptive-pardons-liz-cheney-anthony-fauci.html

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A pardon in law is a government decision that forgives a person for a crime, relieving them of some or all legal consequences of their conviction. It is often granted by a head of state, such as a president or governor, and does not erase the fact of the conviction but can help restore the individual's rights.

Legal immunity, or immunity from prosecution, is a legal status wherein an individual or entity cannot be held liable for a violation of the law, in order to facilitate societal aims that outweigh the value of imposing liability in such cases.

I still cannot understand the idea of Biden granting individuals who are not under investigation for anything, are not charged with anything, and have never been convicted of anything a 'pardon'. A pardon for what?

They are conflating a pardon with legal immunity. These are two different and separate concepts. The President can grant a pardon. But the President does not have the authority to grant immunity. This is not within his authority.