On Monday evening, while signing executive orders in the Oval Office, President Donald Trump commented on the last-minute pardons issued by former President Joe Biden just prior to the transfer of power. Biden’s extensive grants of legal immunity included members of the January 6 Committee, notably former Congresswoman Liz Cheney.
In addition to the January 6 Committee, Biden also pardoned several political allies, including Dr. Fauci, General Mark Milley, and various family members during the final moments of his presidency. Addressing the January 6 panel and specifically mentioning Liz Cheney, a vocal critic of Trump, the president suggested that they had engaged in actions warranting punishment.
Trump questioned, “What about this J6 committee? Why is he pardoning them?” while seated at the Resolute Desk. He claimed, “The reason is that if you delete and destroy documentation, they have nothing, because they were guilty as hell,” implying that only those with something to hide would go to such extremes to eliminate evidence.
He further stated, “It was a rigged deal. When you do that, they look very bad, but I was somewhat surprised he did it.” Specifically targeting Cheney, he remarked, “Liz Cheney is a lunatic, and she lost by the largest margin in congressional history, nearly 40 points.”
He elaborated, “The reason it was the largest loss is that anyone losing that significantly would typically withdraw, but she’s a nut job. She just keeps pushing forward, and she lost by almost 40 points. That’s the biggest margin anyone has ever lost by.” Cheney had previously pledged her support for Vice President Kamala Harris last year, diverging from the majority of the Republican Party.
Additionally, Trump raised questions regarding Biden’s motivations for granting the pardons in the first place. “But why would Biden do that? He pardoned her and pardoned everybody,” he remarked. The president also addressed legal precedents concerning cases involving the destruction of documents. “The reason is that they destroy documents, and if you’re even in a civil case, which this wouldn’t be, I mean, people would go to jail for a long time for doing that,” he stated.
Former Republican Arizona State Senate primary candidate Josh Barnett shared his thoughts on the pardons in a post on X. “A pardon typically provides forgiveness for a specific offense or a set of offenses committed prior to the issuance of the pardon. However, if an individual is subsequently found guilty of treason after receiving a pardon for earlier crimes, the pardon does not apply to this new offense,” he explained.
After discussing the legal theory, he concluded, “A pardon would not shield an individual from legal repercussions for treason committed or uncovered after the pardon was granted. Nevertheless, the precise implications may vary based on the language of the pardon and the laws of the relevant country or state. If you are examining a particular case or require detailed legal counsel, it would be prudent to consult with a legal expert.”
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