President Donald Trump tore into former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney on Monday after she received a last-minute pardon from former President Joe Biden.
While signing several executive orders in the Oval Office, reporters asked Trump about several major topics. Trump issued roughly 1,500 pardons and commuted the sentences of 14 people in connection with the events at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
“I was going to talk about the J6 hostages, but you’ll be happy because, you know, it’s action, not words that count, and you’re going to see a lot of action on the J6 hostages,” Trump said.
“I was going to talk about the things that Joe did today with the pardons of people that were very, very guilty of very bad crimes, like the unselect committee of political folks,” he added, referring to the Jan. 6 panel.
Hours before leaving office, then-President Joe Biden issued historic preemptive pardons for former NIAID Director Anthony Fauci, House Jan. 6 committee members, and others.
“Why are we doing this? Why are we trying to help a guy like Milley? Why are we helping Liz Cheney?” he asked. “I mean, Liz Cheney is a disaster. She’s a crying lunatic and crying, crying.”
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Republicans argued that the pardons signaled an admission of guilt and that the investigation was corrupt.
“Proves they know she’s guilty,” Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN) said, referring to Cheney, who was one of many officials who received a pardon from Biden on his way out of office Monday morning.
“Joe Biden’s last-minute pardons of the January 6th sham committee members will forever seal the negative legacy of the Biden administration which will be will be one of corruption, pay-to-play schemes, and the overall total sellout of our ‘American principles,’” Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) told the Daily Beast.
Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), who led the GOP counterprobe into the Jan. 6 committee, called the Monday morning pardons a “direct result of our investigation.”
And Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ) agreed, drawing attention to the “unlawful, deceitful, and corrupt” behavior of those pardoned.
“Our nation relies on dedicated, selfless public servants every day. They are the lifeblood of our democracy. Yet alarmingly, public servants have been subjected to ongoing threats and intimidation for faithfully discharging their duties,” Biden wrote.
“In certain cases, some have even been threatened with criminal prosecutions, including General Mark A. Milley, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, and the members and staff of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. 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,” he added.
“General Milley served our nation for more than 40 years, serving in multiple command and leadership posts and deploying to some of the most dangerous parts of the world to protect and defend democracy. As Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he guided our Armed Forces through complex global security threats and strengthened our existing alliances while forging new ones,” Biden said.
“For more than half a century. Dr. Fauci served our country. He saved countless lives by managing the government’s response to pressing health crises, including HIV/AIDS, as well as the Ebola and Zika viruses. During his tenure as my Chief Medical Advisor, he helped the country tackle a once-in-a-century pandemic. The United States is safer and healthier because of him,” Biden added.
“On January 6, 2021, American democracy was tested when a mob of insurrectionists attacked the Capitol in an attempt to overturn a fair and free election by force and violence. In light of the significance of that day. Congress established the bipartisan Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol to investigate and report upon the facts, circumstances, and causes of the insurrection. The Select Committee fulfilled this mission with integrity and a commitment to discovering the truth. Rather than accept accountability, those who perpetrated the January 6th attack have taken every opportunity to undermine and intimidate those who participated in the Select Committee in an attempt to rewrite history, erase the stain of January 6th for partisan gain, and seek revenge, including by threatening criminal prosecutions,” he continued.
Biden concluded, “I believe in the rule of law, and I am optimistic that the strength of our legal institutions will ultimately prevail over politics. But these are exceptional circumstances, and I cannot in good conscience do nothing. Baseless and politically motivated investigations wreak havoc on the lives, safety, and financial security of targeted individuals and their families. 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.”
