In a surprising turn of events, nine former January 6 Select Committee members find themselves at the center of a heated political debate during President Biden's final hours in office.
According to The Daily Caller, the former committee members, including Republican Representatives Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, have accepted broad immunity pardons issued by President Biden on Monday, despite several members previously opposing such actions.
The preemptive pardons were granted to protect committee members and their staff from potential prosecution related to their investigation of the January 6 events. Biden justified this decision by citing ongoing threats and intimidation against these individuals for performing their congressional duties.
Adam Kinzinger, who now works as a CNN political contributor, had previously expressed strong opposition to accepting pardons. He emphasized that accepting a pardon could be interpreted as an admission of guilt, stating his only action was revealing the truth to the American public.
Similarly, California Democratic Senator Adam Schiff had warned against establishing such a precedent. He argued against the practice of issuing blanket pardons during the final days of an administration.
Among all committee members, only Democratic Mississippi Representative Bennie Thompson had openly stated his willingness to accept a preemptive pardon before Biden's announcement.
Republican Texas Representative Chip Roy called for a congressional investigation of the pardon recipients, suggesting their acceptance implied potential wrongdoing. He proposed testing the constitutional boundaries of these pardons regarding future actions.
President Trump expressed strong disapproval of Biden's decision during an interview with NBC's Kristen Welker. Former committee members defended their acceptance of the pardons through a joint statement, where Cheney and Thompson said:
These are indeed 'extraordinary circumstances' when public servants are pardoned to prevent false prosecution by the government for having worked faithfully as Members of Congress to expose the facts of a months-long criminal effort to override the will of the voters after the 2020 elections, including by inciting a violent insurrection to thwart the peaceful transfer of power.
The committee members maintained their position that accepting pardons does not indicate guilt. They emphasized their commitment to upholding constitutional principles despite facing threats of criminal prosecution.
Biden's pardon authority extended beyond the January 6 committee members. He also granted immunity to Dr. Anthony Fauci, former Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, and five family members, including his brother James Biden.
The unprecedented scope of these pardons has sparked intense debate about the appropriate use of presidential clemency powers. Legal experts are now examining the implications of such broad preemptive pardons for future administrations.
The timing of these pardons, occurring during Biden's final hours in office, has raised questions about the balance between protecting public servants and maintaining accountability in government.
The acceptance of blanket pardons by former January 6 Committee members marks a significant shift in their previous positions regarding presidential clemency. These pardons, issued by President Biden during his administration's final hours, protect nine committee members and their staff from potential prosecution related to their investigation work.
