In his last hours in office, President Joe Biden issued sweeping preemptive pardons to high-profile people the outgoing White House suspected could be targeted for prosecution by the incoming Trump administration.
It’s a highly unusual move that signals just how much uncertainty there is over what Donald Trump will do after he is sworn in Monday and how much political sway he may hold over the Department of Justice.
“I believe in the rule of law, and I am optimistic that the strength of our legal institutions will ultimately prevail over politics,” Biden said in a statement. “But these are exceptional circumstances, and I cannot in good conscience do nothing.”