OPINION:
Joe Biden spent his last presidential political capital issuing pardons to COVID-crackdown face Anthony Fauci, to the former Afghanistan-withdrawal disaster of a general who called Donald Trump a “fascist to the core” and a “wannabe dictator” — Mark Milley — and to perennial MAGA hater and former legislator Liz Cheney. Oh, and all the other January 6 committee members, too. Oh, and just seconds before he was due to leave office, his family members.
Not that they did anything wrong, Biden said.
Just in case.
Confused? Yes. It’s typical Democrat speak.
Biden says his preemptive pardons — the kind he previously issued his son, Hunter; the kind that come with the magic wave of a hand and lofty utterance, “Thou art now innocent!” — Biden says these types of pardons are necessary in order to preserve justice. And that is to say, of course, in typical Democrat-speak, injustice.
His statement, just hours before Trump’s formal swearing-in ceremony: “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 said.
If Trump weren’t so intent on getting to the truth about the January 6 committee’s dealings — if the American people weren’t so heck-bent on getting to the truth about the COVID chaos — if the Republicans in Congress weren’t so intent on getting to the truth about all the illegal, corrupt and criminal dealings of Team Biden and Democrats during the past four years — well then, none of these preemptive pardons would be necessary, Biden suggested.
It’s Trump’s fault, Biden suggested.
It’s the MAGA-Americans’ fault, Biden suggested.
“It feels good and I’m grateful to the president for doing it,” Fauci said on CNN, about his pardon. “I have done nothing wrong. Certainly nothing criminal. No grounds at all.”
So why the need for any pardon?
Innocents don’t need pardons. Only the guilty need pardons. That’s common sense.
“If there was ever any doubt as to who bears responsibility for the COVID pandemic, Biden’s pardon of Fauci forever seals the deal,” said Sen. Rand Paul, who has called on previous occasions for the former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director to face criminal proceedings over COVID deceptions.
We all know that.
And no amount of preemptive pardoning erases that truth.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on X @ckchumley. Listen to her podcast “Bold and Blunt” by clicking HERE. And never miss her column; subscribe to her newsletter and podcast by clicking HERE. Her latest book, “Lockdown: The Socialist Plan To Take Away Your Freedom,” is available by clicking HERE or clicking HERE or CLICKING HERE.
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