President Joe Biden, as one of his last official acts, this morning, January 20, issued pre-emptive pardons to a number of high-profile individuals. These include Dr. Anthony Fauci, General Mark Milley, and members of Congress who served on the January 6 committee.

Biden wrote in a statement “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.”

He continued:

“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.”

In closing, the soon-to-be ex-president noted that “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.”