Biden White House Is Discussing Preemptive Pardons for Those in Trump's Crosshairs

[RandySF]

President Joe Biden’s senior aides are conducting a vigorous internal debate over whether to issue preemptive pardons to a range of current and former public officials who could be targeted with President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House, according to senior Democrats familiar with the discussions.

Biden’s aides are deeply concerned about a range of current and former officials who could find themselves facing inquiries and even indictments, a sense of alarm which has only accelerated since Trump last weekend announced the appointment of Kash Patel to lead the FBI. Patel has publicly vowed to pursue Trump’s critics.

The White House officials, however, are carefully weighing the extraordinary step of handing out blanket pardons to those who’ve committed no crimes, both because it could suggest impropriety, only fueling Trump’s criticisms, and because those offered preemptive pardons may reject them.

The deliberations touch on pardoning those currently in office, elected and appointed, as well as former officials who’ve angered Trump and his loyalists.



https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/12/04/biden-white-house-pardons-00192610

[WhiskeyGrinder]

1. This should include everyone on federal death row. Because they are definitely in the crosshairs.

And yes, not necessarily a pardon, but certainly a commutation of their sentences.

[mvd]

6. Agree

Trump will plow through them like he did before. It also would show Biden’s seriousness about his no death penalty stance.

Biden should pardon all he can since Trump will.

[MichMan]

17. Do you think releasing the 4 below, after serving only several years behind bars, would be justice?

Dylann Roof — Roof was sentenced to death by a jury on January 10, 2017 for the race-related murders of nine parishioners at an historic Black church in Charleston, South Carolina. The court formally imposed the death penalty on January 11.

Christopher Cramer and Ricky Fackrell — Cramer and Fackrell received jury verdicts of death on June 13, 2018, for the murder of a White prisoner in a federal penitentiary in Texas.

Brandon Council — Council was sentenced to death on October 3, 2019 by a jury in South Carolina for killing a teller and bank manager during the 2017 robbery of a CresCom bank.

Robert Bowers — Bowers was found guilty of all 63 federal charges related to his 2018 attack on the Pittsburgh Tree of Life Synagogue shooting that resulted in 11 deaths and many more injuries. Attorneys for Mr. Bowers told jurors about his history of mental illness and brain impairment from childhood, including several suicide attempts and commitments to psychiatric facilities before the age of 13, and argued that he was too delusional to be eligible for the death penalty. On August 1, 2023 the jury unanimously recommended a death sentence, marking the first death sentence obtained under the Biden Administration’s Department of Justice.

Roof and Bowers would have served less than 1 year per victim. And you think they should just be released?

[maxsolomon]

20. I think you mean commutation of their death sentences to life?

I hope that's what you mean.

[newdeal2]

2. I'd love to know who would reject them

Also what happened to all that talk of secret pardons etc. four years ago?

[sop]

3. Trump's America will be like one of those third world shitholes where the ruling junta executes its opponents.

[Think. Again.]

4. Good, they should be far and wide.

[Hekate]

5. They better get a hustle on and move damn fast. There's judges, DAs, prosecutors, congresscritters...

… journalists, whistleblowers, jurors, and a lot of plain ordinary people whose lives, livelihoods, peace of mind and sanity are at grave risk from Trump and Trumpistas.

On edit: I just stole this from LetMyPeopleVote:

[rsdsharp]

7. Don't discuss. DRAFT!

[Baitball Blogger]

8. It's a relief.

[calimary]

9. Good! Good-Good-GOOD!!!

DO IT, Mr. President!!! There’s still time!!!!!

[Bluetus]

30. There is absolutely no downside.

THe media has already beaten Biden up for one single which was a clear cast of selective prosecution. SO if Biden has already taken that abuse, let's paint the town.

THe rationale for the Hunter pardon was partly the human compassion of a father, but mainly, it was to take away the opportunity to continue persecuting him for the next 4 years for crimes that nobody is ever incarcerated for.

So let's do it nig. Trump and Patel have conveniently given us their enemies list. Pardon all of them , Republicans and Democrats alike. What can the Media say about that? Notice that nobody isn't the corporate media has said the HUnter pardon was wrong or unjustified. THeir pearl-clutching is entirely about the fact that Joe said he would not do that. But then it became clear that HUnter would be persecuted another 4 years.

What can the Media say about pardons of Cassidy Huchinson, Liz Cheney, and 200 others that Trump has vowed to persecute by weaponizing the DoJ? They will say "it is an abuse of the pardon power". Well, boo freaking hoo. The clown car cabinet that Trump is assembling is an assault on our entire Constitutional system.

By pardoning everyone on Trump's enemies list, this will force the media to address the fact that the President HAS an enemies list and planed to use it. And if this leads to a move to eliminate the pardon power, fine.

[Mike 03]

10. Outstanding

I hope they consider the civilians (those who are not necessarily politicians or official employees of the government), for example those who testified before the Jan 6 Committee. I'm thinking of people like Ruby Freeman, Shaye Moss, the former militia members who testified against the insurrectionists, Capitol Hill police, etc... Not trying to be nit-picky, but the civilians are less likely to be able to afford expensive attorneys and personal protection.

But this is incredibly good news. Please, Joe, do it!

Trump will be enraged "like nobody has ever seen before."

[GigiLeigh]

25. Cassidy Hutchinson needs a pardon as well.

That is weird for me to write because my niece is also named Cassidy Hutchinson. Lol

[NotHardly]

11. We will not have a functional government for between 2-4 years.

I'm gratified that I am old and probably not going to have to live through this sh*tstorm that is coming.

[PatrickforB]

12. Good. n/t

[ibegurpard]

13. Good

NT

[Hassler]

14. Good. And certify the ERA Amendment,

And designate Owyhee Canyonlands as a National Monument, and free Leonard Pelletier

[maxsolomon]

21. National Monuments can be un-designated on MFer's whims.

Does the Owyhee have any mineral resources?

[Hassler]

24. Gold, lithium, oil, uranium are all possibilities

[maxsolomon]

32. Sure didn't look like it last time I was there. It's nearly all lava and basalt.

I did a 5-day float on the Owyhee with my lil brother 5 years back - stunning scenery. National Park caliber.

[Demobrat]

15. At least they're talking about it.

Now DO IT.

[Cirsium]

16. Stopping MAGA

Fueling Trump’s criticisms? Impropriety? That ship, the USS Standard Normal, has already sailed.

It is important now that we communicate that these are not normal times and that we are not going to take it. That won't stop the relatively small cadre of true believers, but there are millions of people who jumped on the bandwagon without much thought. If we vigorously deny that everything is OK, if we let them know we that will not roll over for the Trump agenda, there will be some, maybe many, who will defect.

The most dangerous thing we can do right now is to normalize any of this. There is going to be a fight. People are going to get hurt, are already being hurt or terrorized. This is it normal. it is no t OK. The sooner we face that, the less suffering in the long run. MAGA support is surprisingly broad, but it is not deep, nor is not strong. There is still time to stop it, but not by standard normal means - elections, court cases, legislative actions.

The stronger the stand we take, and the sooner we take it, the safer we will be.

[Bo Zarts]

18. Do it!

Just do it!

[ecstatic]

19. Thank God

What's there to debate anyway? Garland failed to hold a terrorist accountable so now that terrorist plans to keep terrorizing.

President Biden has a duty to protect us as much as possible. Not doing so would be unforgivable and on par with garland's failure. Harsh but true.

[Justice matters.]

27. Not just that, putin-patel wants to destroy the FBI...

So all terrorists, foreign and domestic, actually under surveillance by the FBI will be free to wreck havoc.

[tornado34jh]

22. Well, if he is going to do that, he doesn't have much time to do it.

He's going to have to do it sooner rather than later as we are now in December.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

23. Start fucking printing. Those who want to reject do so at their own peril.

They will 100% charge the officer who shot that piece of shit Ashli Babbitt.

I swear to god we are going to “vigorous debate” ourselves into fascism.

Just look at North Carolina. They are stripping the incoming governor of power just because they can. Do they give a fuck how it looks? They did the same thing in Wisconsin.

They. Don’t. Give. A. Fuck.

Start the presses.

[Clouds Passing]

26. Discuss no further, just do!

[4catsmom]

28. YeS!

Do IT!

[bdamomma]

29. If anyone is

watching Joy Reid, she showed a list of people who should be protected.

Thank goodness, for President Biden he will do the right thing. Time is ticking.

Also amnesty should be granted to DACA class of people.

[dalton99a]

31. No skin off your back, Joe. Just fucking do it