- President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly considering issuing preemptive pardons to members of the Jan. 6 Select Committee.
- Some committee members, such as Rep. Bennie Thompson, believe the threat of retaliation from Trump is significant and may accept a pardon if offered.
- The White House has reportedly discussed the possibility of pardons with the committee, but some members have not initiated contact or expressed a need for pardons.
- Committee member Rep. Pete Aguilar stated that he has not sought a pardon or engaged in discussions with the White House regarding one, emphasizing that the committee’s work was not wrong and did not require pardons.
- Sen. Adam Schiff, who served on the committee, expressed concern over the implications of pardons for committee members, suggesting that future presidents should not issue broad pardons as a matter of course.
As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office in less than a week, members of the Jan. 6 Select Committee and the White House are in private discussions about the possibility of issuing preemptive pardons to lawmakers who served on the panel.
According to multiple sources, a private call between committee member and former Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger (D-IL) in late November touched upon the potential for Trump’s retribution and the need for legal protection. At that time, some committee members argued that they were already protected by the Speech or Debate Clause, a constitutional privilege that shields lawmakers from executive-branch action over legitimate legislative activities, but others still believed the threat of retaliation was too significant to ignore.
Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), the chairman of the Jan. 6 committee, confirmed that he had spoken with the White House counsel’s office about the prospect of pardons.
«I believe Donald Trump when he says he’s going to inflict retribution on this,» Thompson said on Monday, Jan. 13. «I believe when he says my name and Liz Cheney and the others. I believe him.» Thompson, who was recently awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal by outgoing President Joe Biden, said he would accept a pardon if offered. The committee’s vice chair, former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), is also a potential target of Trump’s alleged retaliation. (Related: GOP report exposes Jan. 6 committee’s failures, calls for criminal probe of Liz Cheney.)
«A lot of people have said if this guy [Trump] said he’s going to do things, believe him. If the president offered a pardon based on the work of the committee, Bennie Thompson would accept it,» Thompson said.
Other Jan. 6 committee members rebuff White House over pardon talks
Despite the confirmation of Thompson, other several key members of the Jan. 6 select committee have stated that they have not had any contact with the White House regarding potential pardons for their involvement in the investigation into the Capitol riot.
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), a member of the committee, emphasized that it is up to the president to decide whether to take action. However, she has not initiated any communication with the White House on this matter. Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA), chairman of the House Democratic Caucus and another committee member, expressed a similar sentiment. He stated that he has not sought a pardon or engaged in discussions with the White House regarding one.
«[I] have not sought a pardon. [I] have not talked to anyone in the White House related to a pardon. I stand by the work that we did. We didn’t do anything wrong. I don’t think a pardon is necessary,» Aguilar, said during a press briefing in the Capitol. «We committed to do a process together — to shine light on exactly what happened on Jan. 6, and the lead up and the president’s role in thwarting a peaceful transfer of power. That’s exactly what we did and we stand by that work product. I’m not aware of any conversations with the White House related to that.»
Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA), who served on the committee, also voiced concerns about the implications of pardons for committee members. He stated that he does not want to see future presidents issuing broad pardons as a matter of course.
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Watch this Fox News clip from Sunday featuring Vice President-elect J.D. Vance discussing the incoming administration’s plans for presidential pardons.
This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.
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