White House mulls preemptive pardons for Biden officials before Jan 20: Reports

Washington: US President Joe Biden's administration is considering introducing preemptive pardons for current and former officials to protect them from possible prosecution after President-elect Donald Trump takes the Oval Office in January, Politico reported on Thursday, citing senior Democratic Party sources.

The White House is concerned that the appointment of Trump aide Kashyap "Kash" Patel as the next director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) could lead to large-scale investigations and indictments of the president-elect's critics, as Patel has already vowed to investigate those who have spoken out against Trump, the sources said.

Among the people most likely to be pardoned are current and former Biden administration officials, members of the investigative committee that looked into the events of January 6, 2021, including Senator Adam Schiff and ex-Congresswoman Liz Cheney, the sources also told the newspaper, adding that a preemptive pardon for Anthony Fauci, the former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, who was heavily criticized by Republicans during the COVID-19 pandemic, is also being considered.

The US government is reportedly discussing the move with caution because it could lead to criticism and accusations of abuse of power, as well as concerns that some affected people might refuse the offer.

White House Counsel Edward Siskel and Chief of Staff Jeff Zients are coordinating the discussions, the newspaper said, adding that Joe Biden, who recently pardoned his son Hunter, is not yet involved.

The United States went to the polls on November 5. Republican candidate Donald Trump, who served as US president from 2017-2021, was declared the winner by all the leading race callers and networks. Democratic candidate Kamala Harris conceded defeat in a speech to her supporters.