In what can be termed his final act in office, US President Biden on Monday issued pardons to his family members due to “unrelenting attacks” from President-elect Trump and his allies.
Outgoing President Joe Biden on Monday pardoned his siblings and their spouses, saying his family had been “subjected to unrelenting attacks and threats, motivated solely by a desire to hurt me — the worst kind of partisan politics.”
“Unfortunately, I have no reason to believe these attacks will end,” he said.
He issued a slew of pardons and commutations in the moments before leaving office, including for aides and allies that have been targeted by Donald Trump. None have been charged with any crimes.
Last month, he pardoned his son, Hunter for tax and gun crimes.
Earlier, he also pardoned Dr Anthony Fauci, retired Gen Mark Milley and members of the House committee that investigated the Jan 6 attack on the Capitol, in an extraordinary use of the powers of the presidency in his final hours to guard against potential “revenge” by the incoming Trump administration.
The decision by Biden comes after Donald Trump warned of an enemies list filled with those who have crossed him politically or sought to hold him accountable for his attempt to overturn his 2020 election loss and his role in the storming of the US Capitol on Jan 6, 2021.
Trump has selected Cabinet nominees who backed his election lies and who have pledged to punish those involved in efforts to investigate him.
(With inputs from AP)
