Hours before leaving office on Monday, President Biden, in an extraordinary use of the powers of the presidency, said he was issuing pardons to retired Gen. Mark Milley, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the members of Congress and staff who served on the Jan. 6 committee and the U.S. Capital and Washington D.C., police officers who testified before that committee.
“The issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that any individual engaged in any wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any offense,” Biden said in a statement. “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.”
In a statement to NBC News, President-elect Trump called the pardons “disgraceful,” saying many of those pardons are “guilty of major crimes.”
President Biden also pardoned Darryl Chambers, Marcus Mosial Garvey, Ravidath “Ravi” Ragbir, Don Leonard Scott, Jr., and Kemba Smith Pradia.
Click here to read the full statement from the White House
Additionally, president Biden commuted the sentences of Robin Peoples and Michelle West, so that their sentences expired on February 18, 2025.
Peoples is currently serving a 111-year sentence for crimes he committed in the late 1990s.
“Mr. Peoples would likely face a significantly lower sentence under current law and policy. While in custody, he has demonstrated remarkable rehabilitation and courage. Mr. Peoples’s clemency petition has received overwhelming support from the civil rights community, government officials, friends, and family members. Mr. Peoples’s supporters describe him as a model inmate, an inspiring mentor, and someone deserving of a second chance.”
West is currently serving a life sentence for crimes she committed between 1987 and 1993.
“During her three decades of incarceration, Ms. West has demonstrated extraordinary rehabilitation and personal transformation. Ms. West’s clemency petition has received overwhelming support from the civil rights community, women’s rights advocates, former fellow inmates, and lawmakers. Supporters describe Ms. West as a role model who has built a 31-year record of rehabilitation and redemption.”
Photo: Texas Tribune | Dr. Anthony Fauci said he is “cautiously optimistic” that a COVID-19 vaccine will be developed by the end of the year. Credit: Kevin Dietsch/Pool/Latin America News Agency