Well, here we go again. Just when you thought Washington couldn’t get any more absurd, we’re now hearing reports that the Biden White House is considering pre-emptive pardons for figures like Dr. Anthony Fauci, Adam Schiff, and Liz Cheney. Yes, you read that correctly—pre-emptive pardons. These aren’t for crimes they’ve been charged with or even accused of, but for potential “retribution” from Donald Trump’s incoming administration. It’s the political equivalent of putting on a bulletproof vest before walking into a pillow fight.
Let’s break this down. The idea of a pardon is pretty straightforward: it’s a second chance for someone who’s been convicted of a crime, a way to wipe the slate clean after justice has run its course. But a pre-emptive pardon? That’s a different story. It’s essentially the government admitting, “Hey, these people might have done something sketchy, but we’d rather not find out for sure.” It’s not about justice—it’s about shielding political allies from accountability.
Take Dr. Fauci, for example. The man who became the face of America’s COVID response has faced his share of criticism, and not without reason. From shifting advice on masks to funding research in Wuhan, Fauci’s tenure has been anything but smooth sailing. But does that warrant a pardon? And for what exactly? Being wrong? Lying to Congress? The Biden administration seems to think he needs protection before anyone even gets around to asking those questions.
Then there’s Adam Schiff, the congressman who spent years peddling the now-debunked Russia collusion narrative. Schiff’s dogged pursuit of Trump made him a hero to the left, but it also left a trail of mistrust and unanswered questions. If he’s done nothing wrong, why would he need a pardon? And if he has, shouldn’t the American people be allowed to know the full story? A pre-emptive pardon shuts down that possibility, insulating Schiff from scrutiny and leaving the public in the dark.
And let’s not forget Liz Cheney, the one-time Republican darling turned liberal media favorite. Her crusade against Trump earned her applause from Democrats and exile from her own party. But what exactly would she need a pardon for? Her rhetoric? Her votes? Or is this just another way for Biden to signal his disdain for Trump and his supporters? Pardoning Cheney before anything even happens feels more like a political statement than a legitimate act of governance.
What’s most troubling about this whole pre-emptive pardon idea is what it says about our justice system—or what’s left of it. In America, the rule of law is supposed to apply to everyone, regardless of their political affiliation. But when the sitting president starts handing out get-out-of-jail-free cards to his allies before they’ve even been accused of wrongdoing, it sends a clear message: there’s one set of rules for the elites, and another for the rest of us.
This isn’t just about Trump or Biden. It’s about whether we, as a country, still believe in accountability. If Fauci, Schiff, and Cheney have nothing to hide, they shouldn’t need pre-emptive pardons. And if they do have something to hide, shouldn’t we want to know what it is? A pre-emptive pardon doesn’t just shield individuals—it undermines the public’s right to transparency and truth.
Of course, the Biden administration will likely argue that this is all about protecting democracy, preventing Trump from using the justice system as a weapon against his political enemies. But let’s be honest: if the roles were reversed, and Trump floated the idea of pre-emptive pardons for his allies, the outrage from the left would be deafening. They’d call it authoritarian, a threat to the very fabric of our democracy. But when Biden does it? It’s “necessary” and “prudent.”
The truth is, pre-emptive pardons have no place in a healthy democracy. They’re a tool for elites to protect themselves from the consequences of their actions, a way to avoid accountability before it even becomes a possibility. If Biden goes through with this, it will only deepen the divide in this country, reinforcing the belief that there’s one set of rules for the powerful and another for everyone else.
So, let’s call this what it is: a cynical, pre-emptive strike against accountability. If Fauci, Schiff, and Cheney are as innocent as their defenders claim, they have nothing to fear. But if they’re not, the American people deserve to know. Anything less isn’t justice—it’s a cover-up. And we should all be concerned about that, regardless of which side of the aisle we’re on.
